Costus spicatus
| Spiked spiralflag ginger Indian head ginger | |
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| Costus spicatus in Singapore | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Costaceae |
| Genus: | Costus |
| Species: | C. spicatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Costus spicatus Jacq.
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| Synonyms | |
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Costus spicatus, also known as spiked spiralflag ginger or Indian head ginger, is a species of herbaceous plant in the Costaceae family (also sometimes placed in Zingiberaceae).[1]
Distribution
Costus spicatus is native to some islands of the Caribbean (including Dominica, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Martinique, and Puerto Rico).[1][2][3] There has been some confusion about the native range of Costus spicatus.[4] Kew Botanical Gardens lists it as native to Mexico.[3] It has been described as exotic[5] or native[3] to Cuba. Costus spicatus is possibly invasive in lower montane rainforests on Saint Lucia, where botanist Roger Graveson considers it to be an escaped exotic.[6][7]
Description
Costus spicatus leaves grow to a length of approximately 1 ft (30 cm) and a width of approximately 4 in (10 cm). It produces a short red cone, from which red-orange flowers emerge one at a time.[8] In botanical literature, Costus woodsonii has often been misidentified as Costus spicatus.[9] Costus spicatus is also similar in appearance to Costus scaber and Costus spiralis.[10][11][12]
Cultivation
Costus spicatus will grow in full sun if it is kept moist. It reaches a maximum height of about 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m).[8]
Ecology
Costus spicatus can develop a symbiotic partnership with certain species of ants (often only a single species of ant will be compatible). The ants are provided with a food source (nectar in C. spicatus flowers) as well as a place to construct a nest. In turn, the ants protect developing seeds from herbivorous insects.[8]
Medicinal use
The Totonac people use Costus spicatus to treat kidney problems and hepatitis.[13]
In Dominican folk medicine, an herbal tea made from the leaves of C. spicatus is used for diabetes (hyperglycemia). However, a 2009 study concluded that C. spicatus tea "...had no efficacy in the treatment of obesity-induced hyperglycemia."[14]
References
- ^ a b "Costus spicatus". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ United States Department of Agriculture. "PLANTS Profile for Costus spicatus (spiked spiralflag)". USDA Plants. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ a b c "Costus spicatus (Jacq.) Sw". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Rojas-Sandoval, Julissa; Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro (2015). "Costus spicatus (spiked spiralflag ginger)". CABI Digital Library. doi:10.1079/cabicompendium.119443. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "Untitled". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ Andrew, Gaspard Michael; John, Lyndon (2010). National Invasive Species Strategy for Saint Lucia (PDF). Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ Graveson, Roger (2009). Plant Taxonomy of Saint Lucia (PDF). FCG International Ltd. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ a b c Top Tropicals Botanical Garden (2010). "Costus spicatus, Alpinia spicata, Spiked Spiralflag". Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ George W. Staples and Derral R. Herbst. 2005.
- ^ Skinner, Dave (October 2008). "Costus of the Golfo Dulce Region" (PDF). Heliconia Society International Bulletin. 14 (4). Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Skinner, Dave. "Costus Scaber and Affinities". GingersRus. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Skinner, Dave. "Costus Scaber". GingersRus. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
- ^ Reimers, EAL; Fernández, EC; Reimers, DJL; Chaloupkova, P; Del Valle, JMZ; Milella, L; Russo, D (2019). "An Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used in Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico". Plants (Basel). 8 (8): 246. doi:10.3390/plants8080246. PMID 31344952.
- ^ Keller AC, Vandebroek I, Liu Y, Balick MJ, Kronenberg F, Kennelly EJ, Brillantes AM (January 2009). "Costus spicatus tea failed to improve diabetic progression in C57BLKS/J db/db mice, a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 121 (2): 248–54. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2008.10.025. PMC 2643842. PMID 19027842.