Australian crepe ginger
Cheilocostus potierae, Fam. Costaceae
Shrub up to 4 m tall, usually multistemmed from underground rhizomes. Listed as endangered under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. Previously Costus potierae.
| Weed Category: | |
| Weed: | No |
| Form or habit: | Shrub |
| Family: | Costaceae |
| Leaf: | Leaves 20-30 x 6-8cm, lateral veins diverging from the midrib at a very low angle and running parallel to one another. Petiole base forming a pubescent, longitudinally veined sheath 2-4cm long, completely enclosing the stem. Petiolar sheath with a truncate ligule (0.2-0.4cm long) at the apex. |
| Flower conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Flower colour: |
Yellow, Red, Cream |
| Flower description: | Yellow or cream flowers produced in and exceeding cone-like heads of overlapping red bracts. Three lobed corolla with the largest lobe (labellum) quite conspicuous, about 2.5-3cm in diameter. Upper surface of the labellum and the inner surface of anther filament hairy. |
| Fruit conspicuous: | Conspicuous |
| Fruit colour: |
Red |
| Fruit: | |
| Fruit description: | Red, ovate-elliptic, about 1.5cm long. Calyx persistent at the apex of the fruit. Outer surface of the fruit clothed in short erect hairs. |
| Habitat: | Rainforest. |
| Distribution | Queensland, New Guinea. |
| Food source for: | |
| Toxicity: | No toxicity known |
| Origin: | Australia, New Guinea. |
| Notes: | |
| Information sources: | Atlas of Living Australia (2022) Cheilocostus potierae (F.Muell.) M.G.Harr. & Zich., CSIRO (2022) Cheilocostus potierae (F.Muell.) M.G.Harr. & Zich Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants., Department of Environment, Land and Water (2022) Species profile - Cheilocostus potierae., Harrington M. & Zich F. (2012) Short Communication: a new combination in Australian Costaceae. Telopea. 14 (1) |
