COSTACEAE
Morphological description
Plant usually semi-woody branched stems. Non aromatic.
Leaves
Leaves simple, entire, spirally arranged, with tubular sheaths.
Flowers
Flower bisexual, ovary inferior, lateral staminodes absent.
Different from: Zingiberaceae: stemless, aromatic, leaves distichous, lateral staminodes usually present, stems never branched.
Distribution: The family is pantropical. In Malesia: Costus (widespread), lowland forest; Tapeinochilos (East Malesia, Australia), in (edges of) lowland rain forest.
Notes: The family is often included in the Zingiberaceae. Several species are (potential) ornamentals. Some species are used medicinally or have edible leaves.
Literature: P. J.M. Maas, Blumea 25 (1975) 543-549.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Costaceae 92.
Illustrations: Fig. 59. Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm. (Costaceae). Reproduced from M.R. Henderson, Malayan wild flowers, Monocotyledons (1954, repr. 1974) 135. With kind permission of the Malaysian Nature Society. 83.
Image in PhytoImages for Costaceae