Costaceae FAMILY

Costus afer

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

4/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Costus aferr is a perennial, rhizomatous herb growing up to 4 metres tall[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The plant is widely used in traditional medicine in Africa, being mainly harvested from the wild, although it is cultivated in a few areas[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. This has led to reducing numbers in the wild, especially in Ethiopia, and some cause of concern[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Spiral ginger is often planted in home gardens for medicinal purposes and is widely used for ceremonial and religious purposes[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeTropical Africa - Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to Tanzania, Malawi and Angola.

HabitatThe shaded floor of the rainforest or lowland secondary forest[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. Moist localities in forest and forest edges, at elevations up to 1400 metres[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].