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 Photo# 11312 Accession# R0 Costus montanus by Kathleen Kay, Michigan State University |
 Photo# 12629 Accession# R0 Costus montanus along road above Orosi, Costa Rica |
 Photo# 12630 Accession# R0 Costus montanus along road above Orosi, Costa Rica ligules |
 Photo# 12631 Accession# R0 Costus montanus along road above Orosi, Costa Rica |
 Photo# 12632 Accession# R0 Costus montanus along road above Orosi, Costa Rica |
 Photo# 16745 Accession# R0 UGA Herbariuim - 10581 Haber- NOT DET'D (Costus montanus). |
 Photo# 11313 Accession# R2887 Costus montanus by Ray Lampert at Nat'l Botanic Garden of Belgium |
 Photo# 11314 Accession# R2887 Costus montanus by Ray Lampert at Nat'l Botanic Garden of Belgium |
 Photo# 11315 Accession# R2887 Costus montanus by Ray Lampert at Nat'l Botanic Garden of Belgium |
 Photo# 16804 Accession# R2887 Costus montanus from Monteverde via Smith College |
 Photo# 16805 Accession# R2887 Costus montanus Smith College |
 Photo# 16806 Accession# R2887 Costus montanus Smith College |
 Photo# 12626 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica bracteole and calyx |
 Photo# 12627 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica bracts |
 Photo# 12628 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica bracts |
 Photo# 12633 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica |
 Photo# 12634 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica |
 Photo# 12635 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica ligules |
 Photo# 12636 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica |
 Photo# 12637 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica bracteole and calyx |
 Photo# 12638 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus at Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica calyx |
 Photo# 16812 Accession# R2972 Costus montanus from Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica |
 Photo# 16973 Accession# R3293 Costus montanus - UGA |
 Photo# 16974 Accession# R3293 Costus montanus - UGA |
 Photo# 16975 Accession# R3296 Costus montanus Penas Blancas |
 Photo# 16976 Accession# R3296 Costus montanus Penas Blancas |
 Photo# 16977 Accession# R3296 Costus montanus Penas Blancas |
 Photo# 16978 Accession# R3296 Costus montanus Penas Blancas |
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CLICK HERE for a detailed botanical description and identification key for this species (opens in new window). CLICK HERE to see a description of accession #R2972 . (opens in new window). CLICK HERE to see a description of accession #R3274 . (opens in new window). PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus montanus FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: Costus montanus Maas STATUS :Accepted CONTINENT: Neotropical SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: This is an accepted neo-tropical Costus species described by Paul Maas in 1972. Costus montanus grows to about 2 meters tall, has dense, soft hairs throughout and a very distinctive ligule with acutely triangular lobes 15-35 mm long. It is terminal flowering with red appendaged bracts, the tips of which are curled down and in. The calyx is well exposed behind the bracts. The flowers are tubular yellow to yellow-orange with densely hairy corolla lobes. This species is endemic to Costa Rica and found only in cloud forests in the mountainous regions of central and north-central Costa Rica with population centers around Monteverde, the Tilaran Mountains and the Talamanca Mountains near Cartago at altitudes ranging from about 1000 - 1700 meters. The holotype was collected in 1937 by A. M. Brenes No. 22607, and is at NYBG from Costa Rica, Alajuela, San Pedro de San Ramon northwest of San Jose. In 2014 I completed an IUCN Red List assessment for this species and it is now classified as Near Threatened. My assessment rationale can be found at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/56347723/0. R2972 from Lankester Gardens, Costa Rica, R3293 seed from UGA, San Luis, near Monteverde, R3296 seed from slopes above Rio Penas Blancas, seeds germinated but did not suvive summer heat. Note that I have had difficulty growing this species, as with other cloud forest plants, due to the hot Tallahassee summers. R3371 from Nacientes Palmichal de Acosta, in the area behind the Cerrros de Escazu at 1500 meter. OBSERVATION NOTES:Nacientes Palmichal, Latitude 9.867474228, Longitude -84.02642301, at 1500 meters elevation. UGA San Luis Campus, Monteverde, Costa Rica, Latitude 10.38916817, Longitude -84.69618945, at 1100 meters elevation. Trail to Rio Pena Blancas below Monteverde, Costa Rica, Latitude 10.20541621, Longitude -84.65675707, at 1200 meters elevation. Water Tower Rd. above Orosi, Cartago Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 9.666555649, Longitude -83.94110147, at 1500 meters elevation. GINGERSRUS CATALOG LISTING: This seems to be a very difficult plant to grow. It is usually found (in nature) in cloud forest with continual moisture and high humidity but with very good drainage. I have had a hard time keeping it going in my greenhouse and only brought it to flower one year. Hardiness has not been tested, but I assume this species will only be hardy in frost free areas. 
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Costus montanus is a high altitude Costus from Costa Rica that looks superficially similar to the plant in horticulture sold as C. barbatus (I found the real Costus barbatus in 2011). I have never seen it listed for sale elsewhere, or in cultivation in any US botanical gardens. It is most easily distinguished from similar looking Costus by the acute triangular ligules.