PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus beckii aff. 'Alans Red' FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: STATUS : CONTINENT: Neotropical SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: Costus 'Alan's Red' is a cultivar introduced by the late Mark Collins. His son Colton Collins said they do not have any further information about the origin, but it is likely that this plant was collected during a trip to Peru. This plant has long triangular ligules, bracts, bracteoles, calyx, corolla, stamen and labellum - all similar to those of the Costus "aff. beckii form 1" that I saw along the road above Atalaya, Peru (seePID #4871). That plant was seen with both terminal and basal inflorescences. Costus 'Alan's Red' is consistent with Maas' description of Costus beckii and with my Atalaya form 1 plant in every respect except that my plant of 'Alan's Red' in cultivation has not produced a basal inflorescence - only a terminal inflorescence. Colton Collins on his website for Plant Group Hawaii, Inc., indicated this flowers both terminal and basal. The bracts, bracteole, calyx and even the corolla lobes are densely hairy. |