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I have only seen this species in the wild at two localities. It is endemic to the central valley area of Costa Rica and the holotype is from a San José suburb that is now hopelessly urbanized. This SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED with the plant common in cultivation under this name. The cultivated plant known in the USA as Costus barbatus is a totally different species, Costus comosus, and the error in identification has persisted in many botanical gardens and plant nurseries. This discovery of the species growing near Muñeco was an important find as this critically endangered species is at risk of extinction.