Observaciones de selvadero

This was found along the road to Briceño at about 1400 meters. The flower is consistent with Costus kuntzei (f/k/a C. laevis) and the ligules consistent with C. leucanthus. I believe it must be a hybrid of those two species. C. kuntzei was found in the area. Only two plants, a short distance apart along the road were seen here. This hybrid is incredibly hairy with dense brown hairs covering all plant parts. Even the corolla was hairy, something unusual in Costus.

Along the road past San Roque we saw this form of the new species Costus antioquiensis which is very close to the form found farther south in Cauca at the Nirvana Reserve. It has a more tightly closed labellum and is not as hairy as the type. The visible parts of the bracts are green.

Costus sp. 'Lemon Chiffon' was collected in 1974 very near this same place by Tim Plowman and Paul Maas. We saw it several places along the highway, but only here in flower. It may be a form of the new species Costus antioquiensis or could be a separate undescribed species.

This is believed to be a form of a new species that is proposed to be published as Costus whiskeycola - a species first collected by Tim Plowman in southern Colombia, known as Costus "El Whiskey". The form here is identical in every respect to the Plowman type form except that the bracts are not appendaged. It was found to be the dominant Costus species in the undisturbed primary forest areas toward the southern part of the Santa Cruz Reserve.

Currently a subsp. of D. strobilaceus, this will become a separate species. It is quite common in this region. Distinguishable from other Dimerocostus by the persistent bract appendages and by the very long filaform extension at the leaf acumen.

Not seen in flower here, this appears to be similar to a 1999 collection from the same area of Madre Selva that was cultivated at Fairchild Gardens (992157), thought to be a form of Costus krukovii. The last 3 photos are of the cultivated plant at Fairchild.

This species is common in the Iquitos region is currently a subsp. of D. strobilaceus, proposed to be a separate species D. appendiculatus. It has an unusual long filaform leaf acumen, not seen in any other species in Costaceae, measured up to 70 mm long.

This large patch seen along the road to Nauta at Reserva Allpahuayo Mishana. This is not common in the Iquitos area and is distinguished from Costus scaber by the flower which is adaxially oriented with respect to the bracts.