Gingersrus Database Taxon ID 7584Costus erythrophyllusOLD NAME: Costus erythrophyllus - green leaf form NEW NAME: Costus erythrophyllus NAME CHANGE NOTES: form in Colombia with green undersides of leaves FULL SCIENTIFIC NAME: STATUS : distinct form CONTINENT: Neotropical FIELD OBSERVATIONS:(If field observations are available, you can click on the link to open in a new window.) PHOTOS:(If photos are available, you can click on the link to open in a new window.) SYNONYMS: BOTANICAL NOTES: In the state of Boyacá, Santa Maria area of the eastern Colombia Andes foothills, I found a plant that seems to be intermediate between Costus claviger and Costus erythrophyllus. The Colombians have placed it in C. claviger, but I think it is closer to C. erythrophyllus. It was found flowering both terminal and basal, has long bract appendages unlike those of C. claviger, and has somewhat plicate leaves. However some plants seen did not have the deeply lobed ligules of C. erythrophyllus and most did not have the characteristic purplish undersides to the leaves, so a determination is open to some interpretation. A collection there by B. Betancur in 2003 was det'd by N. R. Salinas as C. erythrophyllus. In 2018 in Putumayo, Colombia I found other plants that appear to belong to Costus erythrophyllus but have all green leaves upper and lower sides. Photos of these plants can be found on Inaturalist at the links provided for this species.
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