Costus comosus, known as red tower ginger, is a species of plant native to South Mexico to Ecuador.[1][2]
| Costus comosus | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Costaceae |
| Genus: | Costus |
| Species: | C. comosus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Costus comosus (Jacq.) Roscoe
| |
As a cultivated plant,Costus comosus is cold hardy; however, if it freezes back to the ground over the winter it is unlikely to flower.[3]
Costus comosus contains chemical compounds which have been found to have anti-diabetic activity.[4] In traditional medicine, Costus comosus is used to treat several conditions including asthma, bronchitis, intestinal worms, diabetes, and liver diseases. It is also used traditionally for rash and fever. People of Southern Ecuador use Costus comosus to treat headache, liver pain, diabetes, influenza, and kidney ailments.[5] They also use it as a diuretic.
The name Costus barbatus has often been mistakenly applied to Costus comosus.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Costus comosus". Tropical Plant Database - Plant Details. National Tropical Botanical Garden. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
- ^ "Costus comosus (Jacq.) Roscoe". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ Skinner, Dave (2016). "Ornamental Costus" (PDF). CAMPINAS-SP. 22 (3): 307–317.
- ^ Bhattacharya, S.; Gupta, N.; Flekalová, A.; Gordillo-Alarcón, S.; Espinel-Jara, V.; Fernández-Cusimamani, E. (2024). "Exploring Folklore Ecuadorian Medicinal Plants and Their Bioactive Components Focusing on Antidiabetic Potential: An Overview". Plants. 13 (1436): 1436. doi:10.3390/plants13111436. PMC 11174784. PMID 38891245.
- ^ Tene, Vicente; Malagón, Omar; Finzi, Paola Vita; Vidari, Giovanni; Armijos, Chabaco; Zaragoza, Tomás (2007). "An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 111 (1): 63–81. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2006.10.032. PMID 17137737.
- ^ Skinner, Dave (December 2011). "Will the REAL Costus barbatus PLEASE STAND UP!" (PDF). Heliconia Society International Bulletin. 17 (4): 11–14.
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