Costus

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Cladus: Commelinids
Ordo: Zingiberales

Familia: Costaceae
Genus: Costus
C. barbatus - C. us - C. cupreifolius - C. curvibracteatus - C. gei - C. dirzoi - C. dubius - C. eb ophyllus - C. osae - C. ph owmanii - C. productus - C. pulverulentus - C. quasi-appendiculatus - C. ricus - C. rumphianus - C. sarmentosus - C. scaber - C. schlechteri - C. sepacuitensis - C. spectabilis

Species: C. acanthocephalus – C. acreanus – C. acutissimus – C. adolphi-friderici – C. afer – C. albiflos – C. allenii – C. amazonicus – C. arabicus – C. asplundii – C. asteranthus – C. aureus – C. barbatus – C. beckii – C. bicolor – C. bracteatus – C. bullatus – C. chartaceus – C. chrysocephalus – C. claviger – C. clemensiae – C. comosus – C. cordatus – C. cupreifolius – C. curvibracteatus – C. dendrophilus – C. dinklagei – C. dirzoi – C. dubius – C. eburneus – C. erythrocoryne – C. erythrophyllus – C. erythrothyrsus – C. fenestralis – C. fissicalyx – C. fortalezae – C. gabonensis – C. geothyrsus – C. giganteus – C. glaucus – C. gracillimus – C. guanaiensis – C. juruanus – C. kupensis – C. laevis – C. lasius – C. lateriflorus – C. ledermannii – C. leucanthus – C. ligularis – C. lilaceus – C. lima – C. loangensis – C. longibracteolatus – C. louisii – C. lucanusianus – C. maboumiensis – C. macranthus – C. malortieanus – C. microcephalus – C. montanus – C. mosaicus – C. muluensis – C. mulus – C. nimba – C. nitidus – C. oblongus – C. oligophyllus – C. osae – C. phyllocephalus – C. pictus – C. plicatus – C. plowmanii – C. productus – C. pulverulentus – C. quasi-appendiculatus – C. ricus – C. rumphianus – C. scaber – C. schlechteri – C. sepacuitensis – C. spectabilis – C. spicatus – C. spiralis – C. sprucei – C. stenophyllus – C. sulfureus – C. talbotii – C. tappenbeckianus – C. tonkinensis – C. ulei – C. vargasii – C. varzearum – C. villosissimus – C. vinosus – C. viridis – C. wilsonii – C. woodsonii – C. zamoranus – C. zingiberoides
Source(s) of checklist:
Name

Costus L., Sp. Pl.: 2 (1753).

Typus: Costus arabicus L.
Synonyms

Heterotypic
Acinax Raf., Fl. Tellur. 4: 53. 1838.
Banksea J.König in A.J.Retzius, Observ. Bot. 3: 75. 1783.
Cadalvena Fenzl, Sitzungsber. Kaiserl. Akad. Wiss., Math.-Naturwiss. Cl., Abt. 1, 51(2): 139. 1865.
Gissanthe Salisb., Trans. Hort. Soc. London 1: 279. 1812.
Hellenia Retz., Observ. Bot. 6: 18. 1791.
Jacuanga T.Lestib., Ann. Sci. Nat., Bot., II, 15: 341. 1841.
Planera Giseke, Prael. Ord. Nat. Pl.: 202. 1792, nom. illeg.
Pyxa Noronha, Verh. Batav. Genootsch. Kunsten 5(4): 3. 1790.
Tsiana J.F.Gmel., Syst. Nat. 2: 9. 1791.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Africa
West Tropical Africa
Benin, Burkina, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, Senegal, Sierre Leone, Togo
West-Central Tropical Africa
Burundi, Cabinda, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gulf of Guinea Islands, Zaïre
Northeast Tropical Africa
Chad, Ethiopia, Sudan
East Tropical Africa
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
South Tropical Africa
Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Asia-Temperate
China
China South-Central, China Southeast, Tibet
Asia-Tropical
Indo-China
Vietnam
Malesia
Borneo, Lesser Sunda Islands, Malaya, Maluku, Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatera
Northern America
Mexico
Mexico Central, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southwest, Mexico Southeast
Southern America
Central America
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
Caribbean
Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Islands
Northern South America
Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
Western South America
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Brazil
Brazil West-Central, Brazil Northeast, Brazil Southeast, Brazil North, Brazil South
Southern South America
Argentina Northeast, Paraguay.

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species plantarum, exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas. Tomus I. Pp. [I–XII], 1–560. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae [Stockholm]. BHL Reference page. : 2

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2019. Costus in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2019 November 20. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2019. Costus. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2019. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2019 November 20. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Costus. Published online. Accessed: November 20 2019.
Tropicos.org 2019. Costus. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published online. Accessed: 20 November 2019.

Vernacular names
suomi: Kostukset

Costus is a group of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Costaceae, described by Linnaeus as a genus in 1753.[2][3] It was formerly known as Hellenia after the Finnish botanist Carl Niclas von Hellens.[4] It is widespread through tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas.[1][5][6]

Costus is often characterized and distinguished from relatives such as Zingiber (true ginger) by its spiraling stems. The genus as a whole is thus often called spiral gingers, but this can also refer to C. barbatus specifically.

Costus spectabilis is the floral emblem of Nigeria; its flowers are represented (erroneously in red instead of yellow color) on its coat of arms. It is important not to confuse Costus speciosus, C. spectabilis etc. with the herb known by the common name "costus".

Some species are of importance to herbivores, such as caterpillars of the restricted demon (Notocrypta curvifascia) which feed on Costus speciosus (crêpe ginger). The crêpe ginger is also a source of diosgenin, a compound used for the commercial production of various steroids, such as progesterone. In Trinidad and Tobago, a mix of Costus scaber juice and crushed Renealmia alpinia berries is used to treat dogs bitten by snakes.[7]
Species

Costus acanthocephalus K.Schum. - Sumatra
Costus acreanus (Loes.) Maas - Colombia, Peru, N Brazil
Costus adolphi-friderici Loes. - Democratic Republic of the Congo
Costus afer Ker Gawl. - trop Africa
Costus allenii Maas - S Central America, NW South America
Costus amazonicus (Loes.) J.F.Macbr. - NW South America
Costus arabicus Vell. - West Indies, South America
Costus araneosus Gagnep. - Republic of the Congo
Costus asplundii (Maas) Maas - Ecuador, Peru
Costus asteranthus Maas & H.Maas - Peru
Costus barbatus Suess - Spiral ginger - Costa Rica
Costus beckii Maas & H.Maas - Peru, Bolivia
Costus bicolor J.Braun & K.Schum. - Cameroon
Costus bracteatus Rowlee - - S Central America
Costus bullatus Meekiong, Muliati & Ipor - Sarawak
Costus chartaceus Maas - Christmas costus - Colombia, Ecuador
Costus chrysocephalus K.Schum. - Lesser Sunda Is
Costus claviger Benoist - the Guianas
Costus clemensiae Ridl. - Mindanao
Costus comosus Roscoe - from Oaxaca to Ecuador
Costus cordatus Maas - Colombia
Costus cupreifolius Maas - Colombia
Costus curvibracteatus Maas - from Nicaragua to Colombia
Costus deistellii K.Schum. - W Africa
Costus dendrophilus K.Schum. - Cameroon
Costus dewevrei De Wild. & T.Durand - C Africa
Costus dinklagei K.Schum. - C Africa
Costus dirzoi García-Mend. & G.Ibarra - Veracruz
Costus dubius (Afzel.) K.Schum. - trop Africa
Costus eburneus Meekiong, Muliati & Tawan - Sarawak
Costus erythrocoryne K.Schum. - Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Costus erythrophyllus Loes. - Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, N Brazil
Costus erythrothyrsus Loes. - Peru, N Brazil, Guianas
Costus fissicalyx N.R.Salinas, Clavijo & Betancur - Colombia
Costus fissiligulatus Gagnep. - C Africa
Costus foliaceus Lock & A.D.Poulsen - Uganda
Costus fortalezae K.Schum. - Acre
Costus gabonensis Koechlin - Gabon, Republic of the Congo
Costus geothyrsus K.Schum. - Ecuador
Costus giganteus Welw. ex Ridl. - São Tomé, Príncipe, Annobón, Cameroon
Costus glaucus Maas - from Nicaragua to Colombia
Costus guanaiensis Rusby - Latin America, West Indies
Costus juruanus K.Schum. - N Brazil
Costus laevis Ruiz & Pav. - from Belize to Bolivia
Costus lasius Loes. - from Nicaragua to Peru
Costus lateriflorus Baker - Nigeria, Gabon
Costus le-testui Pellegr - Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo
Costus ledermannii Loes. - Cameroon
Costus leucanthus Maas - Colombia, Ecuador
Costus ligularis Baker - Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo
Costus lima K.Schum. - from Honduras to Ecuador
Costus loangensis H.Maas & Maas - Gabon
Costus longebracteolatus Maas - N South America
Costus lucanusianus J.Braun & K.Schum. - trop Africa
Costus maboumiensis Pellegr. - Gabon, Republic of the Congo
Costus macranthus K.Schum. - E + SE Africa
Costus maculatus Roscoe - W + C Africa
Costus malortieanus H.Wendl. - Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras
Costus megalobractea K.Schum. - Cameroon
Costus microcephalus K.Schum. - Borneo
Costus montanus Maas - Costa Rica
Costus mosaicus W.Bull - Democratic Republic of the Congo
Costus muluensis Meekiong, Ipor & Tawan - Sarawak
Costus mulus Meekiong, Ipor & Tawan - Sarawak
Costus nemotrichus K.Schum. - Cameroon
Costus nitidus Maas - Costa Rica, Panama
Costus nudicaulis Baker - Gabon
Costus oblongus S.Q.Tong - Tibet, Yunnan
Costus oligophyllus K.Schum. - Perak
Costus osae Maas & H.Maas - Costa Rica, Colombia
Costus phaeotrichus Loes. - Cameroon, Gabon
Costus phyllocephalus K.Schum. - Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Angola
Costus pictus D.Don - Mexico, Central America
Costus plicatus Maas - Costa Rica, Panama
Costus plowmanii Maas - Colombia
Costus productus Gleason ex Maas - Peru
Costus pulverulentus C.Presl - from Tamaulipas to Ecuador
Costus quasi-appendiculatus Woodson ex Maas - Bolivia
Costus ricus Maas & H.Maas - Costa Rica
Costus rumphianus Valeton ex K.Heyne - Maluku
Costus sarmentosus Bojer - Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi
Costus scaber Ruiz & Pav. - from Veracruz + Haiti to Bolivia
Costus schlechteri H.J.P.Winkl. - W Africa
Costus sepacuitensis Rowlee - Guatemala
Costus spectabilis (Fenzl) K.Schum. - trop Africa
Costus spicatus (Jacq.) Sw. - West Indies
Costus spiralis (Jacq.) Roscoe - trop South America
Costus sprucei Maas - N Brazil
Costus stenophyllus Standl. + L.O.Williams - Costa Rica
Costus subbiflorus K.Schum. - SE Africa
Costus sulfureus K.Schum. - Sulawesi
Costus talbotii Ridl. - Nigeria
Costus tapenbeckianus J.Braun & K.Schum - Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Gabon
Costus tonkinensis Gagnep. - Vietnam, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan
Costus ubangiensis Gagnep. - Central African Republic, Cameroon
Costus ulei Loes. - Acre
Costus vargasii Maas & H.Maas - Peru
Costus varzearum Maas - N Brazil
Costus villosissimus Jacq. - trop America
Costus vinosus Maas - Panama
Costus violaceus Koechlin - Gabon
Costus viridis S.Q.Tong - Yunnan
Costus wilsonii Maas - Panama, Costa Rica
Costus woodsonii Maas - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Colombia
Costus zamoranus Steyerm. - Colombia, Ecuador
Costus zingiberoides J.F.Macbr. - Loreto

[1]

Formerly placed here

Numerous other species have been called Costus over the years, but are now regarded as members of other genera. Such genera include Alpinia, Amomum, Caulokaempferia, Cheilocostus, Chamaecostus, Dimerocostus, Hellenia, Paracostus, Renealmia, Tapeinochilos, etc.[1]
References

World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 1: 2 in Latin
Tropicos, Costus L.
Forsius, Arno. "Hellens, Carl Niclas von" (in Swedish). Biografiskt lexikon för Finland. Retrieved 30 June 2017.[permanent dead link]
Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 320 闭鞘姜属 bi qiao jiang shu Costus Linnaeus
Specht, C. D. & D. W. Stevenson. 2006. A new phylogeny-based generic classification of Costaceae (Zingiberales). Taxon 55(1): 153–163.
Aweke, G., 2007. Costus afer Ker Gawl. In: Schmelzer, G.H. & Gurib-Fakim, A. (Editors). Prota 11(1): Medicinal plants/Plantes médicinales 1. [CD-Rom]. PROTA, Wageningen, Netherlands