Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Medium

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

Central and South America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Status

Uncommon

About

This tropical plant grows in the humid rainforests of Central and South America. Its bright red bracts contain hidden yellow flowers that bloom one at a time in a spiral.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Zingiberales

Family

Costaceae

Genus

Costus

Species

Costus woodsonii