Reference: http://theprivatenaturalist.wordpress.com/tag/crepe-ginger/
Scarlet Spiral Flag Ginger, Indian Head Ginger, or Red Button Ginger (Costus woodsonii Maas), Hawaiian: ‘awapuhi ‘inikini po‘o
– This species has gently spiraled stems and grows to about a meter in
height. The leaves are deep green. The bracts of the inflorescence are
bright waxy red, forming a pine cone-like spike (10-15 cm long) from
which the yellowish-orange flowers protrude outward one at a time. The
numerous small black seeds (1-2 mm long, the smallest of the true
gingers) are usually dispersed by birds, but it is possible that they
are also dispersed by water if the plant is growing in a wetland
environment. C. woodsonii is an aggressive and invasive
species. Its rhizomes spread rapidly and, once established, they are
difficult to remove. This species grows well in full sun, flourishing
even in the sandy soils and dune sands of tropical coasts, but it
prefers the shade, ample moisture, and deep, fertile soil of the rain
forest. Although the genus Costus sp. is found throughout the tropics on
all continents, this species was first collected and described in
Panama in 1941. It was an introduced ornamental garden plant that became
a naturalized escapee in some parts of Hawaii. It is considered to be
an invasive weed on Oahu, Maui, and Kauai islands. It is present in
large but widely scattered populations at low elevations on Maui,
particularly along the Hana Highway. This species also displays a
classic behavior of species mutualism: it exudes what is known as
“extrafloral nectar” from the bracts of the flower spike, attracting ant
species that harvest the nectar. In turn, the ants protect the plant
from the larvae of flies and other flying insects that lay their eggs in
the flowers.
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