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Crape ginger
Costus speciosus
11.12, -85.59
Field Notes
Description:
Cheilocostus speciosus or (syn. Costus speciosus) or crape ginger is possibly the best known cultivated species of the genus Costus. This plant is native to southeast Asia, especially on the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. Costus differs from the common ginger by having only one row of spirally arranged leaves.
Habitat:
Spotted in the garden of a finca near La Cruz, far NW Costa Rica.
Notes:
The plant has many historical uses in Ayurveda, where the rhizome has been used to treat fever, rash, asthma, bronchitis, and intestinal worms. It is mentioned in the Kama Sutra as an ingredient in a cosmetic to be used on the eyelashes to increase sexual attractiveness.
Reference Links:
Cheilocostus speciosus
Species ID Suggestions
2
Spotted for Missions
Photographed
PublishedNovember 26, 2013
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