Costaceae, known as the Costus family or spiral gingers, is a family of pantropical monocots. It belongs to the order Zingiberales, which contains horticulturally and economically important plants such as the banana (Musaceae), bird-of-paradise (Strelitziaceae), and edible ginger (Zingiberaceae). The seven genera in Costaceae together contain about 143 known species. They are native to tropical climates of Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America. Several species are frequently found in cultivation.
Triuridaceae are a family of tropical and subtropical flowering plants, including nine genera with a total of approximately 55 known species. All members lack chlorophyll and are mycoheterotrophic. The heterotrophic lifestyle of these plants has resulted in a loss of xylem vessels and stomata, and a reduction of leaves to scales.
Costus is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Costaceae, erected by Linnaeus in 1753. It is widespread through tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
Paulus Johannes Maria "Paul" Maas is a botanist from the Netherlands and a specialist in the flora of the neotropics. Maas has identified and named about two hundred fifty plants from the Burmanniaceae, the Costus Family (Costaceae), the Gentian Family (Gentianaceae), the Bloodwort Family (Haemodoraceae), the Banana Family (Musaceae), the Olacaceae, the Triuridaceae, and the Ginger Family (Zingiberaceae).
Hillegonda (Hiltje) Maas-van de Kamer is a botanist at the Institute of Systematic Botany at Utrecht University. She is the wife of Professor Paul Maas and together they have published many papers. She is a specialist in the flora of the neotropics.
Costus spicatus, also known as spiked spiralflag ginger or Indian head ginger, is a species of herbaceous plant in the Costaceae family.
Tiputinia is a genus of myco-heterotrophic plants in the family Burmanniaceae, first described as a genus in 2007. There is only one known species, Tiputinia foetida, formerly thought to be endemic to eastern Ecuador, new records from Peru suggest that the distribution is more widespread than formerly thought. The plant is mycotrophic, i.e. lacking chlorophyll and obtaining sustenance from fungi in the soil.
Dimerocostus is a group of flowering plants in the Costaceae described as a genus in 1891. It is native to Central and South America.
Costus curvibracteatus is a tropical rhizomatous perennial native to Costa Rica and Panama.
Costus malortieanus, known as Stepladder Plant, Spiral Ginger, or Spiral Flag, is a species of perennial herbaceous flowering plant in the family Costaceae. It is native to Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. Costus malortieanus is often cultivated as an ornamental plant.
Costus woodsonii, the red button ginger or scarlet spiral flag, is a species of flowering plant in the family Costaceae, native to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. A rhizomatous geophytic perennial, it is recommended for coastal gardens, borders, containers, and general wet, tropical garden applications. It is more widely cultivated than other species of Costus. Costus woodsonii was first described by Paul Maas in 1972 and is named for Robert Woodson of the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Costus pulverulentus, the red cigar or spiral ginger, is a species of flowering plant in the family Costaceae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, and it has been introduced to Cuba and Florida. It is invasive in Hawaii.
Costus dubius is a species of plant native to Tropical Africa.
Costus lucanusianus is a species of plant native to Africa. It is widely distributed across North East Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, and Southern Tropical Africa.
Costus afer, English ginger lily or common ginger lily, is a species of plant native to Tropical Africa.
Costus scaber is a species of plant in the Costaceae family. Its native range is Mexico to Tropical America.
Costus productus, known as orange tulip ginger, dwarf orange ginger, or green mountain spiral flag, is a species of plant in the Costaceae family. Costus productus is native to South Colombia and Peru.
Costus louisii is a critically endangered species of plant endemic to Gabon.
Costus nitidus is an endangered species of plant in the family Costaceae. Its native range is Costa Rica to Panama. Costus nitidus was first described by Paul Maas in 1976. The name "nitidus" means "with a polished surface, neat, shining."
Costus vinosus is a critically endangered species of plant in the family Costaceae which may now be extinct in the wild. It is endemic to Panama. Costus vinosus was first described by Paul Maas in 1976. As of 2015 Costus vinosus could still be found in the wild.
