CLICK HERE for a detailed botanical description and identification key for this species (opens in new window). PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus beckii FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: Costus beckii Maas & H.Maas STATUS :Accepted CONTINENT: Neotropical SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: This is an accepted neotropical species of Costus described by Paul and Hiltje Maas in 1990. It was published in Notes from the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh 46(3): 309. 1990. The type specimen was collected in Bolivia, Cochabamba, Chapare, Villa Tunari, 14 km south toward Palmar at 550 meters at the foot of the mountains by S. G. Beck #7324 on 24 Nov 1981 . Another collection verified by Maas in 1998 and 2002 is at MoBot, collected 1996 by Fernando Cornejo V. & A. Balarezo #2670 in Peru, Puno, Carabaya at 550 - 600 m. (Cabeceras del RÃo Candamo. Plano. Colinoso, ZONA RESERVADA TAMBOPATA-CANDAMO, CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL-EISA ) It is described as having a basal inflorescence with red bracts and yellow tubular flowers. It is distinguished from Costus vargasii by the long (55-60 mm) lobed ligules and densely hairy vegetative parts. The type is from Bolivia but Maas noted one other Peruvian collection near Shintuya which is at the end of the road that passes through Atalaya near the Rio Madre de Dios. Along the road above Atalaya, Peru I found two plants within 1 km of the Costus vargasii type locality. I now have doubts about the delineation of the three species described in 1990, but these two plants are closest to Costus beckii. I have written up a report describing these other two plants. A thumbnail sheet of the images for the Costus aff. beckii Atalaya Form 1, described in the pdf file can be found at.HREF="http://www.gingersrus.com/images/R3255/ A thumbnail sheet of images of the other form of Costus aff. beckii found near Atalaya, Peru is atHREF="http://www.gingersrus.com/images/R3258/. I have also come to the conclusion that the Mark Collins' collection that is now named as the cultivar Costus 'Alan's Red', came from this same locality and is consistent with the Atalaya form 1, pictured on these pages. SeePID 7405 for more info on C. 'Alan's Red'. |