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Accession Data:

Costus malortieanus H. Wendl.

  • Common Name: Step-ladder Costus
  • Family: Costaceae (K. Schum.) Nak.

  • Country of Origin: Central America

  • Description: To 3 feet; leaves to 14 inches long and 7 inches wide, obscurely striped with darker green above; flower spikes to 2.5 inches long, terminating the leafy stem, bracts lacking a thickened callus at the tip; flowers yellow, lip marked with red.
  • Culture: Fertile, well-drained soil - kept evenly moist but not wet. Prefers shadier conditions than other Costus species.
  • USDA Zone: 9-11?

Accession Data:

  • Accession # 199500165
  • Source: Mike Bordelon - SI Botany Gnhse
  • Provenance:
    Rcvd as Costus malorteanus (missing an 'i')
    
    No accession data provided when received, but suspect this may be Kress# 94-3714 or Kress# 94-5359 based on existing records in SI database.
    
  • Accession Date: 10-23-1995
  • Bench: 3204 - ZING:tbd
    • Currently: active - healthy
    • Qty: 4 confirmed on 11-22-2024
  • Restrictions:

    Classification:

    • Division: Magnoliophyta
    • Class: Liliopsida
    • SubClass: commelinids
    • Order: Zingiberales
    • SubOrder:
    • Family: Costaceae
    • SubFamily:
    • Tribe:
    • SubTribe:

    Flowering Data:

    This accession has been observed in bloom on:
    YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
    2025
    2024
    2023
    2022
    2021
    2020
    2019
    2018
    2017
    2016
    2015
    2014
    2013
    2012
    2011
    2010
    2009
    2008
    2007
    2006
    2005
    2004
    2003

    References (internal):

    • Plants from the Kress Collection (NMNH/Smithsonian)
    • EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Costa Rica / Honduras / Nicaragua /

    References (external):

    1. The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed on Wednesday, 02 January, 2019.
    2. WCSP (2015). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed on Wednesday, 02 January, 2019.
    3. Costus malortieanus at IUCN Redlist. Last accessed Wednesday, 02 January, 2019.
    4. Costus malortieanus at ARS-GRIN Taxonomy. Last accessed on Wednesday, 02 January, 2019.
    5. BGCI Plant Search. Last accessed on Tuesday, 27 August, 2019.

    data regenerated on Wed, 09 Apr 2025 11:06:05 -0400 [bcm v4.0]

    Images:

    No default accession image assigned

    Additional images for this accession:

    Click on thumbnails to enlarge

    Current Accessions in the Costaceae

    • Chamaecostus cuspidatus
    • Cheilocostus speciosus W/C
    • Costus asplundii
    • Costus bracteatus
    • Costus chartaceus W/C
    • Costus dubius
    • Costus lasius
    • Costus lateriflorus
    • Costus phaeotrichus W/C
    • Costus pictus
    • Costus productus
    • Costus scaber
    • Costus spectabilis
    • Costus spicatus W/C
    • Costus tappenbeckianus
    • Costus tonkinensis
    • Costus vargasii
    • Costus vinosus W/C
    • Costus afer
    • Costus aff. guanaiensis
    • Costus comosus var. bakeri
    • Costus malortieanus
    • Costus pulverulentus
    • Costus woodsonii
    • Dimerocostus strobilaceus
    • Monocostus uniflorus
    W/C = Wild Collected
    = indicates flowering in past 14 days
    = images available for this accession
    = map available for this accession
    = accession added within past 90 days
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