Chamaecostus cuspidatus

Chamaecostus cuspidatus, also known as fiery costus or spiral flag, is a species in the Costaceae family. It is native to Brazil, particularly the Northeast and Southeast regions. The plant features fleshy-looking, dark green leaves arranged in a spiral pattern around the stem, forming attractive, arching clumps. The underside of the leaves has a light purple hue. The plant produces orange flowers, 1.5 inches in diameter, which appear as cone-like heads at the tips of branches during warm months. It is sometimes referred to as the insulin plant in India due to its purported anti-diabetic properties. The species was published in 2006 by C.D. Specht and D.W. Stev. The plant grows to a height of approximately two feet and develops from underground rootstocks.