BIMAN BHUYAN*, DIPAK CHETIA, PRAKASH RAJAK Costus speciosus, Phytochemical, Ethno medicine, Microscopy, TLC, Pharmacopoeial standards. 1447-1457 Volume 4, Issue 6 November - December 2013 Northeast part of India is very rich in natural resources. It is also the home to many ethnic communities who are engaged in practicing traditional medicine since time immemorial. The treatment regimen usually involves the incorporation of natural ingredients thereby developing formulations for treating various ailments. The present study tends to undertake the study of Costus speciosus in the traditional medicines that are practiced in Assam. In this study the initial phytochemical investigation on the plant was carried out that include microscopical analysis of fresh as well as powdered drug, phytochemical analysis of successively extracted crude drugs, TLC characterization and Pharmacopoeial standard determination such as ash value, loss on drying, extractive value etc. The initial study gave preliminary information regarding phytochemical makeup and microscopical characteristic of the plant.