CLICK HERE to see a description of accession #R3130 . (opens in new window). PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus tarapotensis aff. 'Morning Star' FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: STATUS : CONTINENT: Neotropical SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: This has now been given a formal cultivar name of 'Morning Star', described as follows: This C. claviger form has long, triangular bract appendages and creamy white flowers that have deeply incised margins to the labellum. The vegetative parts are densely hairy, ligules are short (about 5 mm) and truncate to slightly lobed. Plant had basal inflorescence when found in habitat but all cultivated plants have produced terminal blooms. Bracts are red, becoming green on the triangular appendages, flowers are have a deeply incised labellum. I collected this plant in northern Peru, San Martin, near the village of Shapaja. This is the same locality for a plant that was originally described in 1931 as Costus tarapotensis by J. F. Macbride, and it appears to closely match the type specimen for that species. It has short truncate ligules, red bracts (when uncovered) and green appendages. There is no visible nectar callus. The bracteoles are about 27 mm long and the calyx is about 17 mm long. Originally I thought this to be one of the forms that loosely fit in Maas' Costus aff. claviger group. If this is indeed the same plant that was described and named as C. tarapotensis by Macbride in 1931, it cannot be a syn. for C. guanaiensis var. tarmicus as both sides of the leaves are densely covered with hairs. It is possible that C. tarapotensis needs to be reinstated as a valid species. Cultivar Registry Photo at http://www.gingersrus.com/Registry/Costus_MorningStar.jpg GINGERSRUS CATALOG LISTING: ![]() ![]() ![]() |