Costus scaber
{{Short description|Species of plant}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = 00547 - Costus scaber.JPG
| genus = Costus
| species = scaber
| synonyms = {{species list |Costus anachiri|Jacq.
|Costus ciliatus|Miq.
|Costus cylindricus var. anachiri|(Jacq.) Petersen
|Costus cylindricus var. ciliatus|(Miq.) Petersen
|Costus nutans|K.Schum.
|Costus puchucupango|J.F.Macbr.
|Costus quintus|Roem. & Schult.
|Costus scaberulus|Rich. ex Gagnep.
|Costus tatei|Rusby}}
}}
Costus scaber is a species of plant in the family Costaceae.{{cite web |url= https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/YWW3 |title= Costus scaber Ruiz & Pav. |author= |date=n.d. |website=Catalogue of Life |publisher=Species 2000 |access-date=January 18, 2025}} Its native range is Mexico to Tropical America.{{cite web |title=Costus scaber Ruiz & Pav.|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:796376-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanical Gardens Kew |access-date=3 August 2024}}
In Costa Rica, Costus scaber is grown in homegardens and used to treat multiple medical conditions.{{cite journal |last1=González-Ball |first1=Roxana |last2=Bermúdez-Rojas |first2=Tania |last3=Romero-Vargas |first3=Marilyn |last4=Ceuterick |first4=Melissa |title=Medicinal plants cultivated in urban home gardens in Heredia, Costa Rica |journal=Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |date=2022 |volume=18 |issue=7 |page=7 |doi=10.1186/s13002-022-00505-z|doi-access=free |pmid=35151356 |pmc=8840630 }} In Trinidad, it is used as an ingredient in treating dogs for snakebite.{{cite journal |last1=Lans |first1=Cheryl |last2=Harper |first2=Tisha |last3=Georges |first3=Karla |last4=Bridgewater |first4=Elmo |title=Medicinal and ethnoveterinary remedies of hunters in Trinidad |journal=BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine |date=2001 |volume=1 |issue=10 |doi=10.1186/1472-6882-1-10|doi-access=free |pmid=11737880 |pmc=60997 }}
Costus scaber has been introduced to Hawaii, the Leeward Islands, and Puerto Rico.{{cite web |title=Untitled |url=https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/botany/WestIndies/getonerecord_Emu.cfm?ID=11263 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |access-date=4 August 2024}} It has been identified as native or alien{{cite book |last1=Graveson |first1=Roger |title=Plant Taxonomy of Saint Lucia |date=2009 |publisher=FCG International Ltd |url=https://bananatrustslu.com/doccentre/National_Forest_Demarcation/Plant%20Taxonomy%20of%20Saint%20Lucia.pdf |access-date=4 August 2024}}{{cite book |last1=Daltry |first1=Jennifer C. |title=Biodiversity assessment of Saint Lucia's forests, with management recommendations |date=2009 |publisher=FCG (Finnish Consulting Group) International Ltd |url=https://propark.ro/images/uploads/file/publicatii/Daltry%202009%20Biodiversity%20Assessment%20Saint%20Lucia.pdf |access-date=3 August 2024}} to Saint Lucia.
File:Fragmenta botanica, figuris coloratis illustrata (T. 78) BHL287707.jpg
Costus scaber is very similar in appearance to other species of Costus, especially Costus spicatus and Costus spiralis.{{cite journal |last1=Skinner |first1=Dave |title=Costus of the Golfo Dulce Region |journal=Heliconia Society International Bulletin |date=October 2008 |volume=14 |issue=4 |url=https://www.gingersrus.com/publications/HSI-Oct2008.pdf |access-date=3 August 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Skinner |first1=Dave |title=Costus Scaber and Affinities |url=https://www.gingersrus.com/botanical/aff-scaber/ |website=GingersRus |access-date=3 August 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Skinner |first1=Dave |title=Costus Scaber |url=https://www.gingersrus.com/DataSheet.php?PID=3607 |website=GingersRus |access-date=3 August 2024}}