Monocostus is a monotypic genus of the family Costaceae. It differs from the rest of the Costaceae by having a single flower per inflorescence, although many flowers can be found on each pseudostem.
Monocostus uniflorus is native only to the Rio Huallaga valley (500-800 m). near Tarapoto, Peru. It produces gorgeous yellow flowers with a large labellum. It is said that the plants will survive temperatures above 50F (10C) and will continue to produce flowers year round in the perfect condition. This perfect condition is in the form of a greenhouse with constant mist and warm temperature. The plant grows to about 1.5 feet (45cm) and is perfectly happy in a one gallon container. It also makes a good houseplant with somewhat low light requirements, although this low light prevents the plant from blooming well.
