Costus Species Botanical Description

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Chamaecostus lanceolatus
Chamaecostus lanceolatus (Petersen) C.Specht & D.W.Stev.

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Photo# 13186 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13187 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13188 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13189 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13190 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13191 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13192 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13193 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13194 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13195 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13196 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13197 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13198 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13111 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13112 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13113 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13114 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13115 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13116 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13117 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13118 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13119 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13120 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13121 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

Photo# 13122 Specimen# R3249
Chamaecostus lanceolatus subsp. lanceolatus
From Brazil, Mato Grosso

BOTANICAL NAME: Chamaecostus lanceolatus
SUBGENUS:
GROUP:Bracts not appendaged
SECTION:
PRIMARY SOURCE USED FOR DESCRIPTION:Maas, Flora Neotropica No. 8, 1972
SECONDARY SOURCES:
LAST UPDATED:
NOTES AND DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:Subsp. lanceolatus (Colombia & Brazil) has calyx about as long as the bract and infl is usually elongated. Subsp. pulchriflorus (Surinam) has calyx 2-2.5 times as long as bract and infl is subcapitate. Both are distinguished from C. congestflorus and C. fragilis by the flower color and the form of the infl.

This species was very common in the Alta Floresta area, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Photos to the left are from that area and the Cristalino Private Reserve. They are all from subspecies lanceolatus - not from subspecies pulchriflorus as indicated on the Kew website at http://www.kew.org/science/tropamerica/imagedatabase/large1/cat_single1-1091.htm (see photo series at 1089-1093.htm)

I have seen photos of a plant I believe to be subsp. pulchriflorus on the internet at http://www.flickr.com/photos/grandma-shirley/5874278239/in/photostream/. They were taken at Carajas in Para state in Brazil. The plants in these photos do not have the elongated inflorescence, but I cannot tell for sure how the calyx length compares to the bract length.
NATURAL DISTRIBUTION:Colombia, Surinam and Brazil
HEIGHT:0 to 0 meters
Botanical Description for this Species
For illustrations or explanation of terminology, click on the linked plant part or column header.
Descriptions used for plant identification key are shown in BOLD.
Plant Part General Color Hairs Texture Shape Length Width
Rhizome

0 to 0 cm 0 to 0 cm
Sheath

glabrous to minutely densely puberulous

0 to 0 cm 3 to 8 mm
Ligule

glabrous

1 to 4 mm 0 to 0 mm
Petiole

glabrous

2 to 4 mm 0 to 0 mm

Leaf

narrowly elliptic to narrowly obovate
6 to 20 cm 2 to 7 cm

...upper

glabrous to minutely densely puberulous

...under

glabrous to minutely densely puberulous

...base

cuneate to rounded

...apex

acuminate
5 to 20 mm

Inflorescence terminal on a leafy stem

angular obovode to fusiform
3 to 15 cm 2 to 4 cm

Bract not imbricate, 5-12 mm wide, callus 1-5 mm long
green
glabrous to minutely densely puberulous
herbaceous to chartaceous
triangular
1.0 to 3.5 cm 0.5 to 0.8 cm

Appendage appendage not found on bract

0.0 to 0.0 cm 0.0 to 0.0 cm

Bracteole tubular but often deeply split, 2 lobed
green
glabrous to minutely densely puberulous
herbaceous to chartaceous
tubular but often deeply split, 2 lobed
1.0 to 1.7 cm 0.0 to 0.0 cm

Flower
purplish

0 to 0 cm 0 to 0 cm

Calyx
green
glabrous to minutely densely puberulous
herbaceous to chartaceous

2.0 to 3.2 cm 0.0 to 0.0 cm

Corolla tube 15-25 mm long
fiery red to orange red
glabrous or minutely puberulous

5.0 to 6.0 cm 0.0 to 0.0 cm

Labellum limb suborbicular, margins crenulate
fiery red to deep crimson, drying deep purple
shortly fimbriate or glabrous

2.5 to 3.0 cm 3.0 to 3.5 cm

Stamen Basal part of stamen and labellum joined in a slender tube 45-50 mm long and 4-5 mm wide
orange

apex irreg. Dentate, stigma cup shaped
1.2 to 1.5 cm 0.3 to 0.6 cm

**Botanical Description for this Species**
For illustrations or explanation of terminology, click on the linked plant part or column header.
Descriptions used for plant identification key are shown in **BOLD**.
Plant Part	General	Color	Hairs	Texture	Shape	Length	Width
Rhizome						0 to 0 cm	0 to 0 cm
Sheath			glabrous to minutely densely puberulous			0 to 0 cm	3 to 8 mm
Ligule			glabrous			1 to 4 mm	0 to 0 mm
Petiole			glabrous			2 to 4 mm	0 to 0 mm
Leaf					narrowly elliptic to narrowly obovate	6 to 20 cm	2 to 7 cm
...upper			glabrous to minutely densely puberulous
...under			glabrous to minutely densely puberulous
...base					cuneate to rounded
...apex					acuminate	5 to 20 mm
Inflorescence	terminal on a leafy stem				angular obovode to fusiform	3 to 15 cm	2 to 4 cm
Bract	not imbricate, 5-12 mm wide, callus 1-5 mm long	green	glabrous to minutely densely puberulous	herbaceous to chartaceous	triangular	1.0 to 3.5 cm	0.5 to 0.8 cm
Appendage	appendage not found on bract					0.0 to 0.0 cm	0.0 to 0.0 cm
Bracteole	tubular but often deeply split, 2 lobed	green	glabrous to minutely densely puberulous	herbaceous to chartaceous	tubular but often deeply split, 2 lobed	1.0 to 1.7 cm	0.0 to 0.0 cm
Flower		purplish				0 to 0 cm	0 to 0 cm
Calyx		green	glabrous to minutely densely puberulous	herbaceous to chartaceous		2.0 to 3.2 cm	0.0 to 0.0 cm
Corolla	tube 15-25 mm long	fiery red to orange red	glabrous or minutely puberulous			5.0 to 6.0 cm	0.0 to 0.0 cm
Labellum	limb suborbicular, margins crenulate	fiery red to deep crimson, drying deep purple	shortly fimbriate or glabrous			2.5 to 3.0 cm	3.0 to 3.5 cm
Stamen	Basal part of stamen and labellum joined in a slender tube 45-50 mm long and 4-5 mm wide	orange			apex irreg. Dentate, stigma cup shaped	1.2 to 1.5 cm	0.3 to 0.6 cm

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