Succulent perennial herb with long leafy spirally twisted stems, 2-3 m high and horizontal rhizomes; leaves simple, spirally arranged, ob­lanceolate or oblong, glabrous above, silky pubescent beneath with broad leaf sheaths; flowers white, large, scented, in large terminal spikes; bracts bright red; fruits globose / ovoid capsules; seeds obovoid or semi­globose.

Rhizome is bitter, astringent, acrid, cooling, purgative, aphrodisiac, anthelmintic, depurative, febrifuge, expectorant, tonicanthelmintic, antiinflammatory, stimulant, antifertility and anticholinesterase activity; alleviates spasms and lowers blood pressure (seed); astringent (root).

Costus speciosus
PIER

Saponins, aliphatic esters and acids (seed. rhizome and root); sitosterol, diosgenin, beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside, gracillin, dioscin and quinones (root and tuber).

In gout; as an antiinflammatory, stimulant and anthelmintic (rhizome); also beneficial in asthma, anaemia, bronchitis, leprosy, flatulence, constipation, fever, skin diseases and inflammation. It is also used for carcino­genic tumours.

Sharma, Classical Uses of Medicinal Plants.