Costus dubius

Costus dubius
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Zingiberales
Family:	Costaceae
Genus:	Costus
Species:	C. dubius
Binomial name
Costus dubius (Afzel.) K.Schum.

Costus dubius is a species of plant native to Tropical Africa.[1][2]

Description

Costus dubius has underground rhizomes which produce leafy stems and inflorescences on separate stalks.[3] The round inflorescences have green bracts; each bract produces a single white flower with a yellow-centered labellum. Costus dubius produces many seeds.[2]

Costus dubius is sometimes confused with several other African species of Costus, such as Costus afer and Costus dinklagei.[4][2] Costus dubius is the only African species of Costus capable of self-pollination.[2]

Range

Costus dubius has a wide native range and can be found throughout tropical Africa.[2]

Costus dubius has been introduced to several places in which it has become naturalized or invasive including:

• Queensland, Australia[1]

• Java, Indonesia[5]

• Hawaii, U.S.A.[3][4]

Habitat

In its native Africa, Costus dubius is found in many different types of forest, as well as along rivers and roads and in plantations.[2] Costus dubius prefers wet tropical biomes and does not appear to survive in the subtropics.[4][1]

External links

"2 Costus dubius". Botany Brisbane. Retrieved 18 July 2024. - Website contains photographs showing different features of Costus dubius

References

1. "Costus dubius (Afzel.) K.Schum". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
2. Maas-van de Kamer, H.; Maas, P.J.M.; Wieringa, J.J.; Specht, C.D. (2016). "Monograph of African Costaceae". Blumea - Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants. 61 (3): 280–318. doi:10.3767/000651916X694445.
3. Evenhuis, Neal L.; Eldredge, Lucius G. (2006). "New Records of Naturalized and Naturalizing Plants Around Lyon Arboretum, Manoa Valley, Oahu". Bishop Museum Occasional Papers (87): 3–18. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
4. "Costus dubius". GingersRus. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
5. Mustaqim, Wendy A.; Setiawan, Eka. "An addition to the alien flora of Java: the first record of adventive Costus dubius (Costaceae)". Jurnal Biologi Tropis. 21 (2): 496–500. doi:10.29303/jbt.v21i2.2514.