Costus spicatus explained

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).

Distribution

Costus spicatus is native to some islands of the Caribbean (including Dominica, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Martinique, and Puerto Rico).^{[1] [2]} There has been some confusion about the native range of Costus spicatus.^[3] Kew Botanical Gardens lists it as native to Mexico. It has been described as exotic^[4] or native 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.^{[5] [6]}

Description

Costus spicatus leaves grow to a length of approximately 1feet and a width of approximately 4inches. It produces a short red cone, from which red-orange flowers emerge one at a time.^[7] In botanical literature, Costus woodsonii has often been misidentified as Costus spicatus.^[8] Costus spicatus is also similar in appearance to Costus scaber and Costus spiralis.^{[9] [10] [11]}

Cultivation

Costus spicatus will grow in full sun if it is kept moist. It reaches a maximum height of about 6feetto7feetft (toft).

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.

Medicinal use

The Totonac people use Costus spicatus to treat kidney problems and hepatitis.^[12]

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."^[13]

Notes and References

1. Web site: United States Department of Agriculture. PLANTS Profile for Costus spicatus (spiked spiralflag) . USDA Plants . United States Department of Agriculture. 2010-12-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20160224135322/http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=COSP4 . 24 February 2016.
2. Web site: Costus spicatus (Jacq.) Sw.. Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanical Gardens Kew . 3 August 2024.
3. Rojas-Sandoval . Julissa . Acevedo-Rodríguez . Pedro . Costus spicatus (spiked spiralflag ginger) . CABI Digital Library . 10.1079/cabicompendium.119443 . 2015 . 4 August 2024. free .
4. Web site: Untitled . Smithsonian Institution . 4 August 2024.
5. Book: Andrew . Gaspard Michael . John . Lyndon . National Invasive Species Strategy for Saint Lucia . 2010 . 4 August 2024.
6. Book: Graveson . Roger . Plant Taxonomy of Saint Lucia . 2009 . FCG International Ltd . 4 August 2024.
7. Web site: Top Tropicals Botanical Garden. 2010. Costus spicatus, Alpinia spicata, Spiked Spiralflag . 2010-12-25.
8. George W. Staples and Derral R. Herbst. 2005.
9. Skinner . Dave . Costus of the Golfo Dulce Region . Heliconia Society International Bulletin . October 2008 . 14 . 4 . 3 August 2024.
10. Web site: Skinner . Dave . Costus Scaber and Affinities . GingersRus . 3 August 2024.
11. Web site: Skinner . Dave . Costus Scaber . GingersRus . 3 August 2024.
12. Reimers . EAL . Fernández . EC . Reimers . DJL . Chaloupkova . P . Del Valle . JMZ . Milella . L . Russo . D . An Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used in Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico . Plants (Basel) . 2019 . 8 . 8 . 246 . 10.3390/plants8080246. free . 31344952 . 11563/138542 . free .
13. Keller AC, Vandebroek I, Liu Y, Balick MJ, Kronenberg F, Kennelly EJ, Brillantes AM . 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 . January 2009 . 19027842 . 10.1016/j.jep.2008.10.025 . 2643842.