 Photo# 12678 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294
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 Photo# 12679 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294
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 Photo# 12680 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 ligules
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 Photo# 12681 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294
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 Photo# 12682 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294
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 Photo# 12683 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294
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 Photo# 12684 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 bracts
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 Photo# 12685 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 bracts
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 Photo# 12686 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 flower
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 Photo# 12687 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 corolla lobes
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 Photo# 12688 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 stamen
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 Photo# 12689 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 stamen
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 Photo# 12690 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 bracteole and calyx
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 Photo# 12691 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 calyx
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 Photo# 12692 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 flower parts
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 Photo# 12693 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 labellum
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 Photo# 12694 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus by Karen Skinner at Waimea Audubon Center, Oahu, Hawaii #91P294 David Orr and myself, note height of plant
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 Photo# 16743 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Lita, Ecuador
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 Photo# 16744 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Lita, Ecuador
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 Photo# 16742 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Lita, Ecuador
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 Photo# 16740 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Lita, Ecuador
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 Photo# 16741 Specimen# R0 Costus leucanthus at Lita, Ecuador
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 Photo# 16912 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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 Photo# 16911 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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 Photo# 16910 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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 Photo# 16915 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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 Photo# 16913 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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 Photo# 16909 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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 Photo# 16914 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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 Photo# 16916 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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 Photo# 16917 Specimen# R3199 Costus leucanthus From Ecuador, Imbabura
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CLICK HERE for a detailed botanical description and identification key for this species (opens in new window).
PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus leucanthus FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: Costus leucanthus Maas STATUS :Accepted CONTINENT: Neotropical SYNONYMS:
BOTANICAL NOTES: This is an accepted neo-tropical Costus species described by Paul Maas in 1976. It is a tall plant that is easilly distinguishable, especially in flower, but also has unique-looking ligules, 55-70 mm long, very deeply lobed and acutely triangular in shape. It flowers terminally with red bracts that are hidden by the long, triangular shaped foliaceus green appendages. The flowers are nearly pure white with no red stripes, but only a pale yellow throat to the labellum. The corolla lobes are open, away from the labellum and the overall look of the flower is quite different from other Costus species.The type specimen is from Colombia, at km 71 of the new road to Buenaventura in the area known as "El Valle" (Valle del Cauca). Maas only knew the plant to be from Colombia when he described it but I have seen it across the border into Ecuador at Lita and even farther south near the village of Pachijal. The places I have seen it have all been low, wet places.
ACCESSION NOTES: R3011 from Waimea 91P294 - Collected by Maas and Plowman (the type location) in Colombia, El Valle, near km 71 of new road Cali - Buenaventura. Received thru Ray Baker, Lyon, from RBG Edinburgh #750177. R3199 from seeds collected in Ecuador, Pachijal. OBSERVATION NOTES:Lita, Carchi Province, Ecuador, Latitude 0.88333, Longitude -78.48333, at 900 meters elevation. Pachijal, Ecuador, Latitude 0.162, Longitude -78.938, at 495 meters elevation. 1.5 km N of Pachijal, Ecuador, Latitude 0.175, Longitude -78.936, at 500 meters elevation. GINGERSRUS CATALOG LISTING:
Cotus leucanthus is rarely found in cultivation. It is from the eastern lowland jungles of Colombia and Ecuador. It grows to 8-10 feet tall with unusual triangular shaped appendaged bracts and pure white flowers with just a touch of pale yellow on the lebellum.
I have not grown it for very long and do not have any experience with hardiness, but guessing it would only be outdoors hardy in USDA zone 10 or warmer. I have always seen it growing (in nature) in sunny areas and close to streams so I would recommend moist soil and full sun for this plant in cultivation.
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