PLANT FAMILY: Costaceae BOTANICAL NAME: Costus 'Mongrel' FORMAL SCIENTIFIC NAME: STATUS : CONTINENT: Neotropical SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: This plant was found in Panama, Bocas del Toro, near the Rio Teribe at Bonyic. It was not in flower but the old inflorescence had a fusiform shape and the bract margins were fibrous indicating C. pulverulentus. The leaves were broad and slightly plicate which is unusual for the species, so seeds were collected. When the seedlings matured and the plant came to flower, the flowers were not C. pulverulentus but more like C. scaber flowers. It is believed this is a natural hybrid of C. pulverulentus with C. scaber. This plant has not yet been registered with a formal cultivar name, but for now I am calling it Costus 'Mongrel' to reflect its likely mixed parentage, and not especially attractive look. A thumbnail page showing photos of this plant can be found at http://www.gingersrus.com/images/R3157 Another collection in 2008 was in the hills above Rio Bonyic, just a few kilometers from the Rio Teribe site. It is nearly identical to that plant, with fibrous bract margins but a flower like C. scaber. Now that it is documented from these two different sites, it is more likely to be an undescribed species than a natural hybrid. |