Costaceae
Costus

Costus scaber Ruiz & Pav.

First published in Fl. Peruv. 1: 2 (1798)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico to Tropical America. It is a rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome. It is used to treat unspecified medicinal disorders, as a medicine and for food.

Distribution

Native to:

Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil West-Central, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Southeast, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Windward Is.

Introduced into:

Hawaii, Leeward Is., Puerto Rico

Synonyms

Heterotypic Synonyms

Classification

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Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2005). Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 52: 1-415.
  • Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
  • Evenhuis, N.L. & Eldredge, L.G. (eds.) (2012). Records of the Hawaii biological survey for 2011. Part II: plants. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 113: 1-102.
  • Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
  • Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.
  • Idárraga-Piedrahita, A., Ortiz, R.D.C., Callejas Posada, R. & Merello, M. (eds.) (2011). Flora de Antioquia: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares 2: 1-939. Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín.
  • Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

  • Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Useful Plants of Boyacá Project

  • Kew Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) https://www.kew.org/science/data-and-resources/tools-and-services/medicinal-plant-names-services in The State of the World’s Plants Report–2016. (2016). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew https://stateoftheworldsplants.org

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
  • Evenhuis, N.L. & Eldredge, L.G. (eds.) (2012). Records of the Hawaii biological survey for 2011. Part II: plants. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 113: 1-102.
  • Villaseñor, J.L. (2016). Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.

Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

  • Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R., & Celis, M. (eds.). (2020). Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia. v1.1. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Dataset/Checklist. https://doi.org/10.15472/7avdhn
  • Diazgranados et al. (2021). Catalogue of plants of Colombia. Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia project. In prep.
  • Diazgranados, M., Allkin, B., Black N., Cámara-Leret, R., Canteiro C., Carretero J., Eastwood R., Hargreaves S., Hudson A., Milliken W., Nesbitt, M., Ondo, I., Patmore, K., Pironon, S., Turner, R., Ulian, T. (2020). World Checklist of Useful Plant Species. Produced by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity.
  • FPI (2021). Food Plants International. https://fms.cmsvr.com/fmi/webd/Food_Plants_World?homeurl=https://foodplantsinternational.com/plants/
  • GBIF.org (2021). GBIF species matching tool. https://www.gbif.org/tools/species-lookup
  • Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) v.10 (2021); http://mpns.kew.org/

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jan 1, 2008 Zappi, D.C.; Milliken, W.; Biggs, N.; Henicka, G.S.; Silveira, E.A.; Philippsen, M.; Piva, J.H. [1174] Brazil K000578315 Yes
Jan 1, 2008 Projeto Flora Cristalino; Gallo, A.; Rosa, R.; Soares, C.R.A.; Della Colleta, R.F.L. [104] Brazil K000579087 Yes
Werdermann, E. [2499] Bolivia K002425333 No
Harris, S.A. [TP138] Guyana K002425162 Yes
Stannard, B.L. [403] Venezuela K002425317 No
Knapp, S.D.; Bailey Hortorium, L.H. [6615] Peru K002425325 No
Lindeman, J.C.; Görts-van Rijn, A.R.A.; Jansen-Jacobs, M.J.; Hetterscheid-Hollants, A.M.C. [22] Suriname K002425177 Yes
Carrión, A.M.; Araujo-Murakami, A.; Klitgaard, B.; Vargas, S.; Zues, N. [622] Bolivia K001378454 No
Anderson, A.B.; Strudwick, J.J.; Sobel, G.; Goncalves, M.; Rosario, C.; Baia, R.; Vasconcelos, P.C.; Pinto, M.G. [1086] Brazil K001252268 Yes
Sandwith, N.Y. [238] Guyana K002425154 Yes
Vásquez, R.; Jaramillo, N. [3631] Peru K002425323 No
Araujo-Murakami, A.; Carrión, A.M.; Changaray, R.; Huacama, R.; Espinoza, E. [5182] Bolivia K001378452 No
s.coll. [DPM14] Guyana K002425159 Yes
Jansen-Jacobs, M.J.; Behari-Ramdass, J.; Grant, A.; Ramharrakh, G.; Ter Steege, H.; Troon, F.V.; Ho Tsoi, R.; Banki, O. [6356] Suriname K002425174 Yes
Gwynne-Vaughan, D.T. [s.n.] Brazil K001252245 Yes
Stannard, B.L.; Arrais, M.G.M. [767] Brazil K001252254 Yes
Sastre, F.; Sastre, C. [49] Brazil K001252249 Yes
Milliken, W.; Frisby, S.; Forte, A.F.; Lindolfo, L.F. [4268] Brazil K000543327 Yes
Berg, C.C.; Akkermans, R.A.W.P. [1059] Ecuador K002425322 No
Prance, G.T.; Balick, M.J.; Berg, C.C.; Nelson, B.W.; Bahia, R.P. [P25141] Brazil K001252261 Yes
{Milliken; Bevan; Smart} [108] Venezuela K002425313 No
Milliken, W. [1710] Brazil K001252257 Yes
Holliday, L.G. [55] Bolivia K002425331 No
Chanderbali, A.; Gopaul, D.; Elliman, C. [295gu] Guyana K002425165 Yes
Chagala, B.G.; Colin, M. [656] Mexico K002425009 Yes
Ball, J. [s.n.] Panama K002425299 No
Fendler [803] Trinidad and Tobago K002425071 Yes
Milliken, W. [2186] Brazil K001252258 Yes
Prance, G.T.; Mori, S.A.; Hill, R.J.; Bernardi, J.C.; Shimabukuru, D. [24412] Brazil K001252264 Yes
Feuillet, C. [10302] Guyana K002425173 Yes
Bang, M. [1248] Bolivia K002425330 No
Wachenheim [s.n.] French Guiana K002425178 Yes
Smith, D.N.; Quintana, G.; García, V. [12908] Bolivia K002425329 No
Fendler, A. [810] Trinidad and Tobago K002425070 Yes
{Jean-Jacques de Granville; Berg, C.C.; Jansen-Jacobs, M.J.; J. van Setten} [6482] French Guiana K002425179 Yes
Funk, V.A.; Liesner, R. [6142] Venezuela K002425311 No
{J. van Rooden; Welle, B.J.H.; Topper, S.M.C.} [665] Colombia K002425306 No
{Redden, K.M.; Perry, C.C.; Singh, D.; Alexander, E.; H. James, N. John, H. simon, E. Joseph} [5341] Guyana K002425167 Yes
Henkel, T.W.; Chin, M.; Williams, R.; James, R. [4684] Guyana K002425166 Yes
De Jong, W. [32] Peru K001890122 No
Aona, L.Y.S.; Conceição, S.F.; Ferreira, R. [2813] Brazil K000992439 Yes
s.coll. [291] Colombia K002425300 No
Morales, J.F. [3888] Costa Rica K002425016 Yes
Steyermark, J. [87163] Venezuela K002425309 No
Klitgaard, B.B. [1346] Bolivia K001378456 No
{J. van Rooden; Welle, B.J.H.; Topper, S.M.C.} [665] Colombia K002425305 No
Drake [s.n.] Guyana K002425157 Yes
Lewis, M.A. [38024] Bolivia K002425328 No
White, O.E. [1808] Brazil K002425332 No
Prance, G.T.; Fernandez, A.; Cardoso, J. [30218] Brazil K001252259 Yes
{Ratter, J.A.; Milliken, W.; Dionysio coelho; Lima, J.; de silva, P.} [R5667] Brazil K001252256 Yes
[s.n.] Trinidad and Tobago K002425067 Yes
Aitken, T.H.G. [41] Trinidad and Tobago K002425073 Yes
Smith, H.H. [2658] Colombia K002425303 No
Sanchez, H.L. [s.n.] Ecuador K002425318 No
Prance, G.T.; Steward, W.C.; Harter, F.P.; Ramos, J.F.; Pinheiro, W.S. [13527] Brazil K001252251 Yes
Pereira-Silva, G. [16519] Brazil K002425180 Yes
Stannard, B.L. [411] Venezuela K002425312 No
Prance, G.T.; Forero, E.; Pena, B.S.; Ramos, J.F. [4303] Brazil K001252247 Yes
[LAE 89487] Papua New Guinea K002189251 Yes
Cotton, P.A. [011] Colombia K002425308 No
{Stoffers, A.L.; Rijn, A.; B. J. H. ter Welle; Bonsen, K.J.} [302] Guyana K002425164 Yes
Holton, I.F. [s.n.] Colombia K002425302 No
Klitgaard, B.B. [1362] Bolivia K001378449 No
Stannard, B.L. [403] Venezuela K002425315 No
Hamilton, W.D. [350] Brazil K001252250 Yes
Gutierrez, L.V.; Estrada, A.; Valverde, Ó.; Gómez, H. [94] Costa Rica K002425015 Yes
Maas, P.J.M.; Westra, L.Y.T. [3830] Guyana K002425160 Yes
Steyermark, J.A.; G.C.K.; Dunsterville, E. [112890] Venezuela K002425310 No
Sparrow, M.; Brewster, P.; Vera [125] Mexico K002425012 Yes
Graham, J.; Schunke Vigo, J. [185] Peru K002425324 No
[65] Trinidad and Tobago K002425063 Yes
Sanchez, H.L. [s.n.] Ecuador K002425319 No
Fendler, A. [803] Trinidad and Tobago K002425072 Yes
[133] Trinidad and Tobago K002425061 Yes
[illgible] [4963] Guyana K002425153 Yes
Prance, G.T.; Balick, M.J.; Berg, C.C.; Nelson, B.W.; Bahia, R.P. [P25141] Brazil K001252262 Yes
[s.n.] Grenada K001734895 Yes
[79] Trinidad and Tobago K002425062 Yes
{H. van der Werff; González, A.} [4716] Venezuela K002425320 No
Prance, G.T.; Lleras, E.; Steward, W.C.; Ongley, J.C.; Coêlho, D.F. [16692] Brazil K001252260 Yes
{Jansen-Jacobs, M.J.; Feuillet, C.; Hiepko, P.; Skog, L.E.; B. J. H. ter Welle} [328] Guyana K002425170 Yes
Prance, G.T.; Steward, J.R.; Ramos, J.F.; Farias, L.G. [19213] Brazil K001252252 Yes
[811] Trinidad and Tobago K002425069 Yes
Pennington, R.T.; Johnson, I. [430] Guyana K002425172 Yes
Chavarría, U. [50] Costa Rica K002425014 Yes
{Mori, S.A.; Mattos Silva, L.A.; Talmon Soares dos Santos; Kallunki, J.A.; Pennington, T.D.} [9551] Brazil K001252265 Yes
Samuels, J.A. [33] Suriname K002425175 Yes
[8960] Trinidad and Tobago K002425068 Yes
Ratter, J.A.; Milliken, W.; Coelho, D.; Lima, J.; de silva, P. [R5667] Brazil K001252255 Yes
Smith, A.C. [3452] Guyana K002425161 Yes
{Jansen-Jacobs, M.J.; Feuillet, C.; Hiepko, P.; Skog, L.E.; B. J. H. ter Welle} [182] Guyana K002425169 Yes
Harris, S.A. [WB5] Guyana K002425163 Yes
{Redden, K.M.; Williams, R.; Diaz, W.; León, O.; O. Santaella, D. Garcia, A. Gracia} [3497] Venezuela K002425314 No
{Jansen-Jacobs, M.J.; Görts-van Rijn, A.R.A.; R. C. Ek} [nr941] Guyana K002425171 Yes
Kelsall, H.J. [612] Colombia K002425301 No
Strudwick, J.J.; Sobel, G.L.; Nelson, B.W.; Nazaré Pinheiro, A.; Silva Rosario, C.; Alves da Silva, N. [3090] Brazil K001252266 Yes
Robinson, J.W.L. [255] Colombia K002425307 No
[1234] Trinidad and Tobago K002425066 Yes
Harrison, S.G. [825] Guyana K002425155 Yes
Bourgeau, E. [2098] Mexico K002425010 Yes
{Jansen-Jacobs, M.J.; B. J. H. ter Welle; Görts-van Rijn, A.R.A.; R. C. Ek} [941] Guyana K002425168 Yes
Prance, G.T.; Pena, B.S.; Ramos, J.F.; Videcki, E.R. [2288] Brazil K001252248 Yes
Archer, W.A. [2274] Guyana K002425152 Yes
Prance, G.T.; Ramos, J.F.; Farias, L.G. [8103] Brazil K001252267 Yes
Hopkins, M.J.G.; Rodrigues, K.F.; Silva, E.S.; Pereira de Lima, R.; Lowy, B. [534] Brazil K001252246 Yes
Cotton, P. [PAC047] Colombia K002425304 No
Herrera, G.; Rivera, G. [7089] Costa Rica K002425013 Yes
[9271] Trinidad and Tobago K002425065 Yes
Prance, G.T.; Steward, J.R.; Ramos, J.F. [9268] Brazil K001252253 Yes
Stannard, B.L. [403] Venezuela K002425316 No
[1886] Grenada K002425059 Yes
[133] Trinidad and Tobago K002425060 Yes
Plowman, T.C. [2580] Peru K002425327 No
Ule, E. [9194] Peru K002425326 No
{Araujo-Murakami, A.; Klitgaard, B.; Carrion Cuellar, A.M.; Vargas, S.; R. Parada, N. Zues, R. Changaray} [5021] Bolivia K001378453 No
B.W. [2749] Suriname K002425176 Yes
Purpus, C.A. [10751] Mexico K002425011 Yes
Berg, C.C.; Akkermans, R.A.W.P. [1059] Ecuador K002425321 No
Parker [s.n.] Guyana K002425156 Yes
Prance, G.T.; Balick, M.J.; Berg, C.C.; Nelson, B.W.; Bahia, R.P. [P25343] Brazil K001252263 Yes
Jenman, G.S. [1995] Guyana K002425158 Yes
[9271] Trinidad and Tobago K002425064 Yes

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible

    • ColPlantA 2021. Published on the Internet at http://colplanta.org
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants of Boyacá Project

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0