''Costus spicatus'', also known as spiked spiralflag ginger or Indian head ginger, is a species of herbaceous plant in the Costaceae family (also sometimes placed in Zingiberaceae).

Distribution

''Costus spicatus'' is native to the Caribbean (including

Dominica Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...

Guadeloupe Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...

Hispaniola Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and th ...

, Martinique, and Puerto Rico).

Description

''Costus spicatus'' leaves grow to a length of approximately and a width of approximately . It produces a short red cone, from which red-orange flowers emerge one at a time. In botanical literature, '' Costus woodsonii'' has often been misidentified as ''Costus spicatus''.

Cultivation

''Costus spicatus'' will grow in full sun if it is kept moist. It reaches a maximum height of about .

Ecology

''Costus spicatus'' can develop a

symbiotic Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasit ...

partnership with certain species of ants (often only a single species of ant will be compatible). The ants are provided with a food source (nectar in ''C. spicatus'' flowers) as well as a place to construct a nest. In turn, the ants protect developing seeds from herbivorous insects.

Medicinal use

In Dominican folk medicine, an herbal tea made from the leaves of ''C. spicatus'' is used for diabetes (

hyperglycemia Hyperglycemia is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. This is generally a blood sugar level higher than 11.1 mmol/L (200 mg/dL), but symptoms may not start to become noticeable until even ...

). However, a 2009 study concluded that ''C. spicatus'' tea "...had no efficacy in the treatment of obesity-induced hyperglycemia."

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2727860 spicatus Flora of Puerto Rico Flora of Cuba Flora of Haiti Flora of the Dominican Republic Flora of the Windward Islands Flora of the Leeward Islands Garden plants Flora without expected TNC conservation status