Costus erythrophyllus Loes.

Pacing merah (Costus erythrophyllus) is an herb with an unbranched rhizome 0.3-1 meters tall from the Costaceae family native to the Colombian Amazon, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil. Its flower is edible, while this plant is popular as a cut flower and indoor or outdoor ornamental. Communities in the Dominican Republic and the United States traditionally use pacing merah to address diabetes.

Pacing merah is generally found growing at elevations between 250-1,800 m asl. According to the IUCN Habitat Classification, this species is commonly found growing in forests, thickets, and wetlands (inland). Pacing merah thrives in tropical/subtropical climates. It prefers humus-rich, well-drained, loose, moist soil, in a partially shaded or fully shaded position. This species also requires a lot of water for its growth.

• Leaves unifoliate, bluish green above while burgundy below, spiral and mostly clustered at the tip, short petiolate, hairless, obovate to oblong shaped, 5-10 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm wide, base cuneate, tip acute to acuminate, margin entire. Sheath green, hairless, with 2 unequal deeply lobed ligules.
• Flowers large, bracts red to somewhat pale pink, broadly ovate, smooth surface, bracteoles red. Calyx with deltoid lobes, red and puberulent. Corolla white and the labellum dirty white with a central yellow zone, with reddish stripes, tubular, and hairless. Stamens 4-5 cm long with reddish-white anthers 10 mm long. Inflorescence a spike, terminal arrangement.

Plant propagation by rhizome division.

Information not found. Further research is needed.

Helps treat diabetes.

Pacing.