Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm., Costaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Costus sericeus Bl.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: canereed, crape ginger, crepe ginger, Malay ginger, spiral flag, wild ginger

Kwara‘ae: okaoka, wakawaka

Palauan: isebsab

Yapese: sauer

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb, perennial, erect, robust, unbranched, to 2 m high or more, arising from a rhizome.  Leaves simple, alternate, spirally arranged, attached atop a sheath, blade oblanceolate to elliptic, 8-25 x 3-7 cm, the lower surface silky pubescent.  Flowers continuously through the year; flowers many, borne among purple bracts in a dense, ovoid to globose, terminal head 3-10 cm long.  Corolla of three fused subequal petals 4-6 cm long and a larger, cup-shaped labellum 5-9 cm long and to 10 cm wide, crepe-like, white, with a yellow anther.  Fruit an ellipsoidal many-seeded capsule"  (Whistler, 2000; p. 154).

"Tall plant with erect or spreading stems; leaves elliptic or obovate, up to 20 cm long or more, about 4-6 cm wide, pubescent beneath; shortly petiolate; inflorescence subterminal, large, to 10 cm long, with bracts about 1.5 cm long; flowers white, the calyx read, corolla white, 5-6 cm long; stamen crest yellow; capsule red; seeds black with a white fleshy aril" (Stone, 1970; p. 109).

Habitat/ecology:  "Fertile, moist soils in shaded places are preferred" (Whistler, 2000; pp. 154-155).

Propagation:  Bird-dispersed fruits and vegetatively (Staples et al, 2000; p. 20).

Native range:  Malaysia; commonly cultivated.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 4)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 79)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 66)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 112)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. (2000) (p. Voucher specimen) Voucher: BMW 5771 (BISH, BRI, GUAM)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2005) (p. 5) Abundant everywhere. Naturalized everywhere.
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2005) (p. 15) Not common.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 112)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 106) Voucher cited: Glassman 2908 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (1998) (p. 8) Voucher cited: Stemmerman 2780 (BISH)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 438226) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 503776) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1949) (voucher ID: BISH 699904) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 112)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1948) (voucher ID: BISH 699903) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 191-192) Vouchers cited: DA 11748, DA 3176, DA 16530, DA 16793, DA 11306
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 34080) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1958) (voucher ID: BISH 34081) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 34082) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1959) (voucher ID: BISH 34083) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 379) Voucher cited: BRY 26364
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 379)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 109)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 112)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R. (1995) (p. 18) Voucher cited: K. Nagata 3849 (BISH) Abundantly naturalized.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1381)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, R. T. (2000) (p. 4) Vouchers cited: (West Maui) Oppenheimer & Annable H29909 (BISH), (East Maui) Oppenheimer H89932 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Frohlich, Dinielle/Lau, Alex (2008) (p. 5) Voucher cited: D. Frohlich & A. Lau s.n. (BISH 725952)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 36)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	probably native cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 142) Voucher cited: MacKee 28157
New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) New Guinea Island	New Guinea Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 192)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 23)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 41)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 112)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. Field notes.)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (1998) (p. 8) As Costus sericeus Bl., voucher cited: Lorence 8220 (PTBG)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. Field notes)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 505201) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 505208) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 610708) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1967) (voucher ID: BNM 124) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (Koen.) Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (2007) (voucher ID: BNM 4463) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 112)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. Field notes.)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 503824) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 505207) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Malakal Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. Field notes.)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Malakal Island	native	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. Field notes)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 112)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. Field notes.)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 505202) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Palau Rock Islands	Aulupse‘el Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 112)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 69)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 66)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Mikira (San Cristobal) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 79901) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Ndeni (Santa Cruz) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 79565) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Santa Isabel (Bughotu) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1933) (voucher ID: BISH 634303) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 60)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Lifuka and Foa Islands	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 72)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 52)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 66)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced cultivated	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2007) (p. 29)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast and Florida) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1903) (voucher ID: BISH 127395) Taxon name on voucher: Costus speciosus (J.Konig) Sm.

Comments:  A problem elsewhere but not so far in Micronesia, where it is native (at least in some locations). A weedy species in French Polynesia. Naturalizing and potentially troublesome in American Samoa (Space & Flynn, 2000).

Additional information:
Additional online information about Costus speciosus is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Costus speciosus as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Costus speciosus may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

Other Latin names:  Costus sericeus Bl.

References:

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1967. Voucher specimen #BNM124(Hardy, S. 82).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 2007. Voucher specimen #BNM4463(Balick et al. 4463).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1903. Voucher specimen #BISH 127395 (Seale, A.; collector's voucher number unknown).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1933. Voucher specimen #BISH 634303 (Brass, L.J. 3467).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 503776 (Wong, C.Y.C. 54).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 505202 (Hosaka, E.Y. 3357).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 505208 (Fosberg, F.R. 25756).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1948. Voucher specimen #BISH 699903 (Wong, C.C.Y. 407).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1949. Voucher specimen #BISH 699904 (Glassman, S.F. 2908).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 503824 (Fosberg, F.R. 32071).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 505201 (Fosberg, F.R. 32409).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 505207 (Fosberg, F.R. 32251).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1958. Voucher specimen #BISH 34081 (Vorakitaki, S. 11306).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1959. Voucher specimen #BISH 34083 (Pillay, S. 11748).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1969. Voucher specimen #BISH 34080 (Smith, A.C. 16793).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1969. Voucher specimen #BISH 34082 (Smith, A.C. 16530).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1972. Voucher specimen #BISH 79565 (Powell, J.M. 19402).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1972. Voucher specimen #BISH 79901 (Powell, J.M. 19422).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 438226 (Fosberg, F.R. 58423).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1991. Voucher specimen #BISH 610708 (Herbst, D.R. 9490).

Fosberg, F. R./Otobed, D./Sachet, M.-H./Oliver, R. L./Powell, D. A./Canfield, J. E. 1980. Vascular plants of Palau with vernacular names. Department of Botany, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 43 pp.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1987. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian monocotyledonae. Micronesica 20:1-126.

Frohlich, Dinielle/Lau, Alex. 2008. New plant records from O‘ahu for 2007. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2007. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 100:3-12.

Glassman, S. F. 1952. The flora of Ponape. Bishop Mus. Bull. 209: 1-152.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 1998. Checklist of the plants of Palau. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 40 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 1998. Checklist of the plants of Pohnpei. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 21 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim. 2005. Checklist of the plants of Kosrae. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 23 pp.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy. 2005. Botanical survey of the Yela River valley, Kosrae, F.S.M. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kalaheo, Hawaii. 19 pp.

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

Merlin, M./Kigfas, A./Keene, T./Juvik, J. 1996. Giddi nge gakiiy nu Wa‘ab: Plants, People and Ecology in Yap State. Program on Environment, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawai‘i, 121 pp.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2007. Rapport de mission sur l'Ile d'Uvea (Wallis & Futuna) du 6 au 17 Novembre 2007: Inventaire preliminaire de la flore vasculaire secondaire [unpublished report]. Délégation à la Recherche, Ministère de l'Education, l'Enseignement Supérieur et la Recherche, B.P. 20981 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française. 39 pp.

Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, R. T. 2000. New plant records from Maui, O‘ahu, and the Hawai‘i Islands. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1999. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 64:1-10.

Smith, Albert C. 1979. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 1. 494 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Observations on invasive plant species in American Samoa.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 51 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2000. Report to the Government of Niue on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 34 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of the Cook Islands on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 146 pp.

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2009. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. (In press).

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate. 2004. Report to the Government of Niue and the United Nations Development Programme: Invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta. UNDP NIU/98/G31 - Niue Enabling Activity. 80 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. 2000. Invasive plant species on Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 43 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R. 1995. Contributions to the Flora of Hawai‘i. IV. New Records and name changes. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1994. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 42:13-27.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 2000. Tropical ornamentals: a guide. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 542 pp.