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 Photo# 15591 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - photo from Peru, Andes to Amazon Project |
 Photo# 15592 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - seen along El Oso Road in southeastern Ecuadoer |
 Photo# 15593 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - seen along El Oso Road in southeastern Ecuadoer |
 Photo# 15594 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15595 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru. Some of the plants, especially the younger ones have distinctive red undersides to the leaves, petiole and ligule. |
 Photo# 15596 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru. Stamen of a pink flowering plant. |
 Photo# 15597 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru. Pink flowering plant. |
 Photo# 15598 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru. Pink flowering plant. |
 Photo# 15599 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru. Pink flowering plant. |
 Photo# 15600 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru. Pink flowering plant. |
 Photo# 15601 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla with pendent inflorescence. Looking nearly identical to the plant first found at Gualaquiza, Ecuador. |
 Photo# 15602 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla with pendent inflorescence |
 Photo# 15603 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla with pendent inflorescence |
 Photo# 15604 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla with flower mostly white |
 Photo# 15605 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla with basal inflorescence. I only saw a few plants that flowered at the base. |
 Photo# 15606 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla with basal inflorescence |
 Photo# 15607 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla. Most plants had white labellums but a few like this one had pink or red labellums. |
 Photo# 15608 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla. Pink form. |
 Photo# 15609 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla. Here also, some of the plants had the distinctive purple ligules, others were green. |
 Photo# 15610 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Manu plant from Pantiacolla. Plant with purple ligule, petiole and leaf undersides. |
 Photo# 15611 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivated by Jim West at Reserva Rio Guaycuyacu in Ecuador. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15612 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivated by Jim West at Reserva Rio Guaycuyacu in Ecuador. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15613 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivated by Jim West at Reserva Rio Guaycuyacu in Ecuador. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15614 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivated by Jim West at Reserva Rio Guaycuyacu in Ecuador. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15615 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivated by Jim West at Reserva Rio Guaycuyacu in Ecuador. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15616 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivated by Jim West at Reserva Rio Guaycuyacu in Ecuador. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15617 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivated by Jim West at Reserva Rio Guaycuyacu in Ecuador. Note characteristing red spots on sheath. |
 Photo# 15618 Accession# R0 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - Cultivar Registry photo at www.heliconia.org. These photos are from the Gualaquiza Ecuador plant found in 2007. |
 Photo# 15619 Accession# R0 Costus 'El Gato' - showing the wide geographic range of this undescribed species. |
 Photo# 15620 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15621 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15622 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15623 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15624 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15625 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15626 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15627 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15628 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 15629 Accession# R2949 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - cultivatred plant from Jerry Seymore. Origin unknown. |
 Photo# 12756 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 |
 Photo# 12757 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 |
 Photo# 12758 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 ligule |
 Photo# 12759 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 basal stems |
 Photo# 12760 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 |
 Photo# 12761 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 flower |
 Photo# 12762 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 corolla lobes |
 Photo# 12763 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 stamen |
 Photo# 12764 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 stamen |
 Photo# 12765 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 labellum |
 Photo# 12766 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 labellum |
 Photo# 12767 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 bracts |
 Photo# 12768 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 bracts |
 Photo# 12769 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 bracts |
 Photo# 12770 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 bracteole and calyx |
 Photo# 12771 Accession# R3006 Costus aff. 'El Gato' - from Colombia at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai, Hawaii #740505 |
 Photo# 15650 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador |
 Photo# 15651 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador |
 Photo# 15652 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador - habitat photo |
 Photo# 15653 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador - habitat photo |
 Photo# 15654 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador |
 Photo# 15655 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador |
 Photo# 15656 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador. Note characteristic red spots on sheath (not seen on Peru plants) |
 Photo# 15657 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador |
 Photo# 15658 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador, now in cultivation. |
 Photo# 15659 Accession# R3079 Costus 'El Gato' - plant found in 2007 near Gualaquiza, Ecuador |
 Photo# 15660 Accession# R3080 Costus 'El Gato' found near Mision Bomboiza, Ecuador. (plant was cut down to get better photo of infl.) |
 Photo# 15661 Accession# R3080 Costus 'El Gato' found near Mision Bomboiza, Ecuador. In cultivation in my greenhouse. |
 Photo# 15662 Accession# R3080 Costus 'El Gato' found near Mision Bomboiza, Ecuador. Note characteristic shape of the labellum, with parallel (flattened) wings. |
 Photo# 15663 Accession# R3080 Costus 'El Gato' found near Mision Bomboiza, Ecuador. |
 Photo# 15756 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15757 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15758 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15759 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15760 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15761 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15762 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15763 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15764 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
 Photo# 15765 Accession# R3260 Costus aff. 'El Gato' from Manu Learning Center, Peru |
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PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus laevis aff. laevis 'El Gato' FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: STATUS : CONTINENT: Neotropical SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: I first saw this form in 2007 in southeastern Ecuador near the town of Gualaquiza. It was on the property of a young man who was known in town as 'El Gato' because of his green eyes - something unusual for inhabitants of that area. I had no real idea what it was at first but I eventually registered it with the cultivar name of 'El Gato'. It is characterized by its pendent inflorescence, non-appendaged bracts and open labellum flower that is mostly white in color. Cultivar Description (from Registry): The primary distinguishing character is the pendent inflorescence, otherwise found only in Costus bracteatus in Central America. Bracts are dark red, non-appendaged, and without fibrous margins. The bracts are distinctively concave in shape forming a cone somewhat similar to Costus scaber, but the flower has a broad, open labellum, mostly white, with a yellow throat and variable amounts of pink color on the labellum wings. The labellum wings are usually parallel to each other giving a flattened appearance to the flower. There are also noticable spots on the stems, most pronounced on the lower part of the stems. Cultivar Registry Photo at http://www.gingersrus.com/Registry/Costus_ElGato.jpg Since that 2007 visit to Ecuador, I have seen many other similar looking plants from the same region in Ecuador and also from Colombia and southern Peru. It fits best among currently described species as Costus laevis, but may well be a new and undescribed species. OBSERVATION NOTES:Finca of Hugo, north of Gualaquiza, Ecuador, Latitude -3.396, Longitude -78.566, at 1075 meters elevation. Misión Bomboiza, Morona-Santiago Province, Ecuador, Latitude -3.45, Longitude -78.55, at 800 meters elevation. Near Rio Yacuambi along road from Zamora, Ecuador, Latitude -3.92062, Longitude -78.84708, at 900 meters elevation. Manu Learning Centre, Manú Province, Peru, Latitude -12.78922, Longitude -71.39172, at 480 meters elevation. Pantiacolla, Manú Province, Peru, Latitude -12.65, Longitude -71.24, at 500 meters elevation. GINGERSRUS CATALOG LISTING: Okay, back to the plant. I found a plant as shown below at "El Gato's" place and also at a Salesian Mission at the nearby village of Bomboiza. I think the closest match is the species Costus amazonicus, but Dr. Paul Maas has reviewed the photos and said it is not C. amazonicus. I thought it might be just a one-time occurance, perhaps a hybrid, until January 2013 when I found identical plants growing 1000 miles to the south in southern Peru! So…. I am not really sure, but it may be a new and undescribed species, and for now I am calling it Costus 'El Gato'. It is is a real beauty, with an arching form and pendent inflorescence, large white flowers with variable amount of red or pink markings on the labellum. The bracts are dark red making a nice contrast. Shown here is the variation in flower colors I have seen on this plant both in Ecuador and in Peru as well as in my own seed-grown plants. 
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Okay Costus fans, this one really has me mystified. I first collected this species in 2007 at a small private botanical reserve owned by a very eccentric young man the locals call "El Gato" because of his green eyes, unusual for the indo-hispanic residents of the area. It's a long story, but if you are interested and if you can read Spanish find my story of about this plant exploration trip on my website at