Costus pulverulentus Presl, Costaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Costus sanguineus Donnell Smith

Common name(s): [more details]

Spanish: caña agria, chile de perro, pito de perro

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Leafy shoots 2-7 (-12) feet tall.  Leaf blades narrowly elliptic-obovate, 4-12 inches x 2-4.5 inches, underside sometimes faint purplish, margins ciliate, apex tapering.  Inflorescence terminal on leafy stem, spindle-shaped, 1.75-3.5 inches x 0.5-1.75 inches, lengthening in fruit; bracts pale to bronzy green, exposed margin shredding, fibrous.  Flowers reddish; calyx ca 0.4 inch long; labellum oblong-obovate, inrolled, 1.1-1.5 inches long, 3-lobed; fertile stamens 1.4-2 inches long, red.  Fruit obovoid, ca 0.66 inch long, white.  Seeds black, aril white." Can be distinguished from Costus spiralis by its stamen, which is conspicuously longer than the labellum, and by its bronzy greenish, spindle-shaped (not cylindrical) flower head  (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 652).

"It grows only 3-4 ft. (0.9-1.2 m) tall, with spiral leaves, and terminal inflorescences with light greenish bracts and rose-pink flowers" (Daehler & Baker, 2006; p. 6).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i (O‘ahu), "naturalized in many parts of Lyon Arboretum" (Daehler & Baker, 2006; p. 6-7). "Prefers moist, protected areas in light to miderate shade" (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 652).

Propagation:  Bird-spread seed; also reproduces vegetatively (Staples et al, 2000; p. 20; Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 652).

Native range:  Mexico, Central and northern and western South America (GRIN).

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		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1999) (voucher ID: PTBG 293) Taxon name on voucher: Costus pulverulentus
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Daehler, Curtis C./Baker, Raymond F. (2006) (p. 7) Voucher cited: C. Haehler 1308 (BISH)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

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

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

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

References:

Daehler, Curtis C./Baker, Raymond F. 2006. New records of naturalized and naturalizing plants around Lyon Arboretum, Mānoa Valley, O‘ahu. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2004-2005. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 87:3-18.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 1999. Voucher specimen #PTBG293(Tim Flynn 6534).

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral/Imada, Clyde T. 2000. Survey of invasive or potentially invasive cultivated plants in Hawai‘i. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers No. 65. 35 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.