June 2001. From Pohnpei, FSM, a request to identify this not-so-clear photo of what was thought to be crape ginger, Costus sericea. The plant grows quickly and aggressively in large thickets, up to 2 m with large (20-30 cm) oblong leaves. It is usually found in wet land.

Common names for this plant vary:

Dictionary definitions: Crape = A gauzy fabric of silk or other material, with a crisped, frizzly surface; Crepe (with circumflex accent on ‘e’) = French for Crape; a crapy fabri.

Others took a more permissive attitude and suggested that common names are neither here nor there in terms of correctness, published common names for Costus speciosus are: crepe ginger, crape ginger, wild ginger, Malay ginger, isebsab, spiral ginger, canereed. According to Marie C. Neal. 1965. In: Gardens of Hawaii. Bernice P. Bishop Museum Special Publication 50. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, p.261, the common name of Costus speciosus (Koen.) Sm. is “crape ginger” or “Malay ginger”. It is native to India, Malaysia and the Philippines and has become naturalized in parts of tropical America.