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Costus woodsonii

Maas (1972)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Zingiberales Family: Costaceae Genus: Costus

Indian head ginger, Indian-head ginger, red spiral flag, scarlet spiral flag

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form:

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves:

Flowers:

Fruit:

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Potentially naturalizing
O'ahu Only found in cultivation
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Potentially naturalizing

Dispersal Agents

Birds

Vegetative Reproduction

Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 8: 101 (1972)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1381 (O? [adventive, Lyon Arboretum, Mānoa Valley], DESCR); Oppenheimer 2004:11 (NEWNAT/EM); Staples & Herbst 2005:651 (KEY), 652 (DESCR); Daehler & Baker 2006:7 (O, DESCR); Brock et al. 2023:147 (K? [adventive, Hanalei, 2007])

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Costus woodsonii Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Suehiro, A. Oahu BISH 1951-10-15
2 Costus woodsonii Kapalama Hts.; Kamehameha Girls' School Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Oahu BISH 1932-06-06
3 Costus woodsonii Hanalei District. Unnamed road directly south of Waioli River mouth, south of Kuhio Highway. Naturazlied behind cemetery and along roadside. Growing in open, moist depressions and along ditches. Preserved_Specimen Erect herb greater than 2 meters tall; leaves pointing downward along stem, margins shallowly undulate, surfaces shiny; inflorescence of persistent bright red bracts forming a cylinder; tubular flowers peachy-orange colored and yellow underneath; ants frequently found on bracts and flowers. Brock, K. 1047 Kauai BISH 2017-07-05
4 Costus woodsonii South Hilo, Honolii Along roadside close to the stream, under canopy. Over 100 individuals. Associated vegetation: Costus spp., Guzmania sp., Odontanima sp., Miconia, Cestrum, Falcataria. Rhizomatous herb. Preserved_Specimen Leaves, spirally arranged along stem, upper surface glossy. Bracts and flowers bright red, flower heads full of water/sap. No frutiing observed. Naturalized. Murphy, M. 229 Hawaii BISH 2022-08-14
5 Costus woodsonii Wailua; Wailua Game Reserve, above Wailua, tree plot area Vegetation on plots stripmined for bauxite ore in 1958-60. Fertilizer applied topically. Preserved_Specimen Herbaceous plant to 5 m., cone scales dark red; flowers orange and yellow. Howard, R.A. 20277 Kauai BISH 1985-10-20
6 Costus woodsonii Haukulu, Lyon Arboretum, Manoa Lowland mesic setting. Preserved_Specimen Bracts red, growing in a disturbed area with Setaria palmifolia and other weeds. Daehler, C. 1307 Oahu BISH 2005-06-22
7 Costus woodsonii Koloa District, Lawai Valley, National Tropical Botanical Garden; on E side of Lawai Stream, in cutting garden Cultivated, with many gingers, heliconias, etc. Preserved_Specimen Rhizomatous perennial herb, pseudostems to 3.5 m tall, lvs uniformly dark green. Infl terminal, bracts bright, shiny red, calyx red-orange; tepals & labellum yellow. Lorence, D.H. 7780 Kauai BISH 1996-05-09
8 Costus woodsonii just W of Hanalei Bay wet coastal road bank Preserved_Specimen herbaceous, cane like to 2-3 m; red cone like bracts Trauernicht, C. 186 Kauai BISH 2007-10-08
9 Costus woodsonii Honolulu; 2436 Burbank St., Mrs. J. L. Robertson's garden Preserved_Specimen Leaf shiny-green with yellow irregular stripes; flowers yellow, 1 at a time in a red cone. Neal, M.C. Oahu BISH 1940-04-02
10 Costus woodsonii Honolulu; Burbank Street, Mrs. J. L. Robertson's garden Preserved_Specimen Leaves white-edged, thick, shining; fruit head red. Robertson, Mrs.J.L. Oahu BISH 1942-08-25
11 Costus woodsonii East Maui, Hana District, Honomanu Preserved_Specimen 2+m tall herbs, spike/bracts bright red, flowers bright orange. Oppenheimer, H.L. 60204 Maui BISH 2002-06-22
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