This page contains photos and description of a species, form or cultivar of Costaceae.

Gingersrus Database Taxon ID 7497

Dimerocostus cryptocalyx


CURRENT NAME: Dimerocostus cryptocalyx

PROPOSED NAME: Dimerocostus cryptocalyx

NAME CHANGE NOTES:

FULL SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dimerocostus cryptocalyx N.R.Salinas & Betancur

STATUS : accepted

CONTINENT: Neotropical

FIELD OBSERVATIONS:(If field observations are available, you can click on the link to open in a new window.)
FIELD OBSERVATIONS

PHOTOS:(If photos are available, you can click on the link to open in a new window.)
GOOGLE PHOTO ALBUM

SYNONYMS:


BOTANICAL NOTES:
Dimerocostus cryptocalyx is an accepted species of Dimerocostus described in 2004 by Nelson R. Salinas & Julio Betancur. A PDF file of the publication (in Spanish) can be seen here: http://www.gingersrus.com/images/Costaceae/Dimerocostus/Dimerocostus_cryptocalyx.pdf. The type was collected by John Kress et. al. in 1995 at Municipio de Frontino, corregimiento Nutibara - la Blanquita, 7-8 km entre el alto de las Cuevas y La Blanquita, W. Vertiente pacífica de Colombia, region de Muttí., Antioquia, Colombia, South America.

Dimerocostus cryptocalyx is a stunning plant with large pendent inflorescences, bracts with the appearance of large leafy green appendages but described as not having appendages. The flowers are white with a "scarlet" red base in the labellum. Dimerocostus cryptocalyx is found in the mountains of Colombia, in the departments of Antioquia, Boyacá and Chocó where it flowers year round.

I have not seen this species myself, but my Heliconia Society friends, Carla Black and Bruce Dunstan, sent me some photos they took on a trip to Colombia. A thumbnail page showing the photos can be found at http://www.gingersrus.com/images/P7497

Two samples of this species were included in a molecular phylogeny: Black93 and M10689. They are in a well supported clade separate fron other species.

HORTICULTURAL NOTES:
Based on information at the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) this species is not in ex situ cultivation at any reporting botanical gardens. This species really needs to be collected and conserved as it is quite rare in the wild. I have tried twice to grow it from seeds sent to me by Carla Black but there was poor germination and no surviving plants.

ACCESSIONS:Click links (if any) to see details of individual collections. R3221-


Copyright © 1999-2023 - Dave Skinner, GingersRus.com
All text and images on this page are copyrighted. They may be downloaded and/or printed for personal use and scientific research, but may not be published in paper or electronic media without my express consent. They absolutely may not be used commercially in any way whatsoever without my express consent. To inquire about permissions, contact dave@gingersrus.com

Photos (if available) of Taxon ID 7497
Click on a thumbnail to load full sized image.
Use your "back" button to come back to this page.

Dimerocostus cryptocalyx, photo by Carla Black - Click to see full sized image
Photo# 367 Accession# R0
Dimerocostus cryptocalyx, photo by Carla Black


Dimerocostus cryptocalyx, photo by Carla Black - Click to see full sized image
Photo# 368 Accession# R0
Dimerocostus cryptocalyx, photo by Carla Black


Dimerocostus cryptocalyx, photo by Paul Maas, M10689 DSC_0267 - Click to see full sized image
Photo# 369 Accession# R0
Dimerocostus cryptocalyx, photo by Paul Maas, M10689 DSC_0267