CLICK HERE for a detailed botanical description and identification key for this species (opens in new window). PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus araneosus FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: Costus araneosus Gagnep. STATUS :synonym CONTINENT: African SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: This African species is placed in synonymy with Costus ligularis (PID3731) in Paul Maas' monograph on African Costaceae, published on 16 December 2016. (Monograph of African Costaceae, H. Maas-van de Kamer, P.J.M. Maas, J.J. Wieringa, C.D. Specht, Blumea 61, 2016: 280 - 318, http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/nhn/blumea/2016/00000061/00000003/art00010) The type specimen photo is at http://plants.jstor.org/specimen/p00436092 Collected in 1884 at Brazzaville Congo, J. de Brazza. Museum Nationall d'Histoire Naturelle. It was described in 1902. It was placed by Schumann in subgenus Metacostus, having a lateral inflorescence, non-appendaged bracts, and large flowers to 6 cm long. Closely related to C. lateriflorus but with larger bracts and undersides of leaves softly tomentose instead of glabrous. The African Plant Database lists this species as having an uncertain status. |