Skip to main content

African spiral flag (Costus lucanusianus)

African spiral flag or Costus afer (Costus lucanusianus) is a species of plant in the Costaceae, herbaceous or shrub, up to 2 meters high, cylindrical stem, upright with a spiral movement, green with reddish midrib stripes, grows on forest floors, river banks, roadsides and abandoned lands.

C. lucanusianus has oval-shaped leaves, up to 30 cm long, up to 10 cm wide, pointed tip and base, a vein in the middle, dark green upper surface and pale green lower surface. Petioles are very short.

Dlium African spiral flag (Costus lucanusianus)


The inflorescence is in a tuber at the end of the stem, cone-shaped and about 10 cm long. The flowers are funnel-shaped, the outside is white, the inside is red with a yellow spot.



Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Zingiberales
Family: Costaceae
Genus: Costus
Species: Costus lucanusianus

Popular Posts

Philippine spinach (Talinum fruticosum)

Philippine spinach ( Talinum fruticosum ) is a species of plant in the Talinaceae family. It is an erect, non-woody herb, growing up to 100 cm tall. The leaves are radially arranged, up to 15 cm long and 5 cm wide, with a large central vein. The surface is smooth, shiny, dark green, and pinnate at the base. The inflorescences are in clusters. The flowers are fan-shaped with five red or white petals, with yellow anthers. Fruit round, up to 5 mm wide. This plant grows wild in colonies on forest floors, agricultural lands, roadsides, and abandoned areas. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Talinaceae Genus: Talinum Adans. in Fam. Pl. 2: 245, 609 (1763) Species: Talinum fruticosum (L.) Juss. in Gen. Pl.: 312 (1789) HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS Portulaca fruticosa L. in Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2 (1759) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Ruelingia triangularis (Jacq.) Ehrh. in Beitr. Naturk. Verw. Wiss. 3 (1788) Calandrinia andrewsii ...

Srigati morning glory (Ipomoea trifida)

Srigati morning glory or threefork morning glory ( Ipomoea trifida ) is a species of plant in the Convolvulaceae family. It is a herbaceous, climbing, twining, cylindrical plant with green stems when young and brown when mature, and white hairs. The leaves are heart-shaped, plain or three-lobed, up to 9 cm long and 9 cm wide. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, reddish-white or purplish, with red or purple inner lobes, up to 4 cm long and 3.5 cm wide. This species grows as a ground cover and climbs into the forest canopy. It grows in forests, agricultural lands, roadsides, and abandoned areas. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Solanales Family: Convolvulaceae Subfamily: Convolvuloideae Tribe: Ipomoeeae Genus: Ipomoea L. in Sp. Pl.: 159 (1753) Species: Ipomoea trifida (Kunth) G.Don in Gen. Hist. 4: 280 (1837) HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS Convolvulus trifidus Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 3: 1...

Java milkwort (Polygala javana)

Java milkwort ( Polygala javana ) is a species of plant in the Polygalaceae family. It has erect, woody, branched stems with brown to black stems and white hairs or powdery hairs. The leaves are opposite and alternate. The leaves are oval, up to 30 mm long and up to 9 mm wide, and green. The inflorescences are arranged in panicles, arranged in rows and radially. The flowers are butterfly-shaped, yellow, green, and purple, with white hairs, up to 8 mm wide. TAXON Kingdom: Plantae Phylum: Tracheophyta Subphylum: Angiospermae Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Fabales Family: Polygalaceae Tribe: Polygaleae Genus: Polygala Tourn. ex L. in Sp. Pl.: 701 (1753) Species: Polygala javana DC. in Prodr. 1: 327 (1824) HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS Polygala ceylanica B.Heyne ex Wall. in Numer. List: n.° 4183 (1831) Polygala javana var. angustifolia Thwaites in Enum. Pl. Zeyl.: 22 (1864) Polygala raoi R.N.Banerjee & L.K.Banerjee in Proc. Indian Acad. Sci., B 82: 218 (1975) PUBLICATIONS Aung, Y.L., Aung, M.H....