GENUS Tapeinochilos
Tapeinochilos is a genus of Costaceae from New Guinea and the other Malanesian Islands to tropical Australia. They are characterized by highly branching stems and either terminal or basal inflorescences. They differ from Cheilocostus primarily by having very small tubular flowers instead of spreading labellums. The botanical study of these plants is quite limited, with the best and most recent being a 1996 monograph by Dr. Osia Gideon of Papua, New Guinea as his doctoral dissertation.
Although the flowers are small (and even seldom noticed), the bracts are often very showy and long lasting making a few species quite popular as ornamental plantings in tropical locations or in greenhouses.
SHOWN IN PHOTO: Tapeinochilos recurvatum
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