**4.1** *Costus speciosus* **(J. Konig) Smith**

*Costus speciosus* (**Figure 2**) is an erect plant, up to 2.7 meters high; root stock is tuberous; stem is sub-woody at the base. Leaves have an average dimensions of (15–30) cm × (5.7–7.5) cm and are sub sessile, oblong, spirally arranged with silkypubescent base [13, 14]. The flowers are present in very dense spikes having ovate bracts that are mucronate and bright red in color. The corolla have short tube with lobes which are ovate-oblong subequal. Flower lips are white with yellow center with crisped, concave, disk with a tuft of hair at the base. Fruits are capsule, globosely trigonus and are red in color. The seeds are black with white aril. Flowering time in Indian condition is August to October [13, 15].

It is a herb occurring in the moist and wet evergreen areas of the Indo-Malayan region and Sri Lanka along with Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Mexico etc. Within India it occurs from Central and Eastern Himalayas to Southern India [15, 16].
