Costus pulverulentus, the red cigar or spiral ginger (a name it shares with other members of its family), is a species of flowering plant in the family Costaceae.[2] It is native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, and it has been introduced to Cuba and Florida.[1][3] It is invasive in Hawaii.[4]
A rhizomatous perennial reaching 4 to 6 ft (1.2 to 1.8 m), Costus pulverulentus is typically found in wet tropical areas.[2] It is used as an ornamental, and there are cultivars, including 'Serena', 'Pink Lips', and 'Purple Passion'.[2][5][4]
Costus pulverulentus has a number of traditional medicinal applications. Ngäbecuranderos in Panama sell it to women suffering from pain after giving birth.[6] In Ecuador, Costus pulverulentus is traditionally macerated and placed on snakebites by members of the Tsáchila people.[7] In Tlanchinol, Hidalgo, Mexico, a Costus pulverulentus infusion is made for people afflicted with kidney problems and fever.[8]
^Wunderlin, R. P.; Hansen, B. F.; Franck, A. R.; Essig, F. B. "Costus pulverulentus". Atlas of Florida Plants. Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
^Joly, L. G.; Guerra, S.; Séptimo, R.; Solís, P. N.; Correa, M.; Gupta, M.; Levy, S.; Sandberg, F. (1987). "Ethnobotanical inventory of medicinal plants used by the Guaymi Indians in Western Panama. Part I.". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 20 (2): 145–171. doi:10.1016/0378-8741(87)90085-7. PMID3657246.
^Kvist, Lars Peter; Holm-Nielsen, Lauritz B. (1987). "Ethnobotanical aspects of lowland Ecuador". Opera Botanica. 92: 83–107.
