Plant Datasheet for Costus ricus

Holotype: Collected in 1991 by 1991 by Paul and Hiltje Maas in Puntarenas: Cantón de SierpeW of Rancho Quemada on road to Drake and new logging road. NOTE: I have been to type locality and have seen and photographed this species. I have seen this species elsewhere in the northern part of the Osa Peninsula and also across the Golfo Dulce in the hills above Golfito. Its range extends at least as far north as Cerro Nara near Quepos, Costa Rica. It is typically found on ridges and slopes. It's peak flowering period (unlike other Costus species) is in the dry season, January to April and is usually finished flowering by July.

There is also a population of a Costus similar to C. ricus near Santa Fe, Panama on the ridges along the upper part of the trail to Cerro Tute (a/k/a Cerro Mariposa). This plant has been determined in collection records as Costus comosus var. bakeri, but it has the distinctive bicarinate bracteole and the general form of Costus ricus, so I believe it is closer to that species. More info and photos can be found atPID 7534.

In 2014 I completed an IUCN Red List assessment for this species and it is now classified as Least Concern. My assessment rationale can be found at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/56347981/0.

Species named by Drs. P. J. M. and Hiltje Maas, described in Brittonia 49(2): 274-279. 1997. Specimens listed at http://www.mobot.org/manual.plantas/041817/S041920.html, Flora of Costa Rica, collected on the Osa Peninsula. Specimen data: Herb, ca. 2 m tall, bracts red with green callus, corolla white at base, red at the middle, yellow at the apex, labellum 5-dentate at the apex, teeth dark red, apex of stamen dark red, growing along roadside. All specimens found on west coast of Costa Rica.

This species observed in Costa Rica, somewhat rare in Golfo Dulce area, seen July 2005 in northern parts of Osa Peninsula at about 300 m, along trails on ridges in well drained locations, also a few specimens seen on ridge above Golfito in Dec. 2006. Species is very common at Cerro Nara (above Quepos) at altitudes from about 750-1000 meters. Observed two forms there - one form with horizontal bract appendages much like specimens seen in Golfo Dulce area and another form with longer pendent bract appendages (looking somewhat like Costus lima). Both forms had distinctive bicarinate bracteole which is rare in Costus ocurring only in one other species - Costus osae.

W3Tropicos - http://mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/pick.html - additional specimens: SAN JOSE: Specimen data: 1.5 m; scape bracts dark red; corolla white at base, red-orange in middle, yellow at apex; Specimen data: Hierba, brcteas rojas, flores tubulares, rojo-anaranjadas.; PUNTARENAS: Specimen data: Macolla de 2 m; creciendo en bosque primario. Bracteas de la inflorescencia roja. Frutos blancos.; Specimen data: Macolla herbacea de 1.5 m. Inflorescencia de bracteas rojas. Flor rojo anaranjado de apice amarillo, verticilo interno rojo-anaranjado, anteras blancas.; Specimen data: Herb 1.5 m, semi-shaded stream margin within forest. Flower with corolla orange, bracts red. Leaves soft pubescent below.; Specimen data: Planta herbacea de 2 m. Bracteas rojas, corola anaranjada en la base y mas claro en la punta.; Specimen data: Hierba de 2 m. Inflorescencia en forma de "chira" de banano, flores blancas acampanuladas. Bosque residual.

ACCESSION NOTES:
R2970 and R3165 from Cerro Nara, near Quepos, Costa Rica were forms with horizontal and pendent bract appendages but in cultivation that difference disappeared, so in situ it must have been cultural. R3290 seed collected at Los Planes, Osa, Costa Rica did not germinate. R3165 has been vouchered at the UC Berkeley, Jepsen Herbarium, UC2045824.

OBSERVATION NOTES:

Los Planes Station, P. N. Corcovado, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.648, Longitude -83.667, at 199 meters elevation.

PN Piedras Blancas, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.7, Longitude -83.32, at meters elevation.

Tower Road, Golfito, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.65, Longitude -83.16, at 400 meters elevation.

Cerro Nara, San José, Santa María, Costa Rica, Latitude 9.4813, Longitude -84.0178, at 600 meters elevation.

Cerro Nara, San José, Santa María, Costa Rica, Latitude 9.477, Longitude -84.011, at 700 meters elevation.

Cerro Nara, San José, Santa María, Costa Rica, Latitude 9.496, Longitude -84.02, at 800 meters elevation.

Reserva Forestal Golfo Dulce, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.7604, Longitude -83.41, at 240 meters elevation.

2 km E of Rancho Quemado, Osa, Provincia de Puntarenas, Rancho Quemado, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.68, Longitude -83.55, at 300 meters elevation.

Trail between Drake and Rancho Quemado, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 8.693, Longitude -83.606, at meters elevation.

Oro Verde, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica, Latitude 9.20928, Longitude -83.76534, at 402 meters elevation.

GINGERSRUS CATALOG LISTING:
I am very excited about this one; I have never seen this species in cultivation anywhere else. It is endemic to the Pacific coastal regions of Costa Rica and produces very showy flowers and there is typically an attractive architectural form to the foliage with a tight spiral of leaves all gathered toward the top of the plant. At Cerro Nara in the mountains above Quepos I found two different forms of the plant, one with the "normal" horizontal bract appendages, and one with pendent bract appendages looking somewhat like Costus lima, but this does not seem to persist and must have been a factor only of growing conditions.

Costus ricus is one of two Costa Rican endemic species of Costus that have uniquely shaped bicarinate (two keeled) bracteoles, which makes them very interesting from a botanical perspective. This character is present in the the South American genus Chamaecostus, many other Costus species. How these two species evolved in this way is still a bit of a mystery. If this sort of thing is of any interest to you, you can read more and see the comparison on my website.