''Costus louisii'' is a critically endangered

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of plant endemic to

Gabon Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north ...

. A.M. Louis collected the first and only specimen of ''Costus louisii'' obtained from the wild. ''Costus louisii'' has only been found in a small area, and its habitat appears threatened by human actions. ''Costus louisii'' resembles ''

Costus afer ''Costus afer'', English ginger lily or common ginger lily, is a species of plant native to Tropical Africa. ''Costus afer'' is widely cultivated. It has many traditional uses, including but not limited to treating a range of medical ailments. ...

'' in appearance.

References

louisii Endemic flora of Gabon {{Zingiberales-stub