Cyclamen (band)
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''Cyclamen'' ( or ) is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of 23
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s in the family
Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the Onagraceae, evening primrose family), are a family (biology), family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants ...
. In English, it is known by the common names sowbread or swinebread. ''Cyclamen'' species are
native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...
to
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
and the
Mediterranean Basin In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and w ...
east to the
Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
and
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, with one species in
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
. They grow from
tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...
s and are valued for their
flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s with upswept
petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...
s and variably patterned
leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
. It was traditionally classified in the
family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the Onagraceae, evening primrose family), are a family (biology), family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants ...
, was reclassified in the family
Myrsinaceae Myrsinoideae is a subfamily of the family Primulaceae in the order Ericales. It was formerly recognized as the family Myrsinaceae, or the myrsine family, consisting of 35 genera and about 1000 species. It is widespread in temperate to tropical ...
in 2000 and finally, in 2009 with the introduction of the
APG III system The APG III system of flowering plant classification is the third version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy being developed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG). Published in 2009, it was superseded in 2016 by a fur ...
, was returned to the subfamily Myrsinoideae within the family
Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the Onagraceae, evening primrose family), are a family (biology), family of Herbaceous plant, herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants ...
.


Names

''Cyclamen'' is
Medieval Latin Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. In this region it served as the primary written language, though local languages were also written to varying degrees. Latin functioned ...
, from earlier
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
''cyclamīnos'', from
Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
κυκλάμινος, ''kyklā́mīnos'' (also ''kyklāmī́s''), from κύκλος, ''kýklos'' "circle", because of the round tuber. In English the species of the genus are commonly called by the genus name.
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic '' ...
describes how it was called in antiquity by roman country men: ''tūber terrae,'' literally "earth truffle" or also ''amulētum'' "amulet", because it was believed that evil spells had no effect where it grew. In many languages cyclamen species are colloquially called by a name like the English sowbread or swinebread (because they are said to be eaten by pigs), based on
Medieval Latin Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. In this region it served as the primary written language, though local languages were also written to varying degrees. Latin functioned ...
''panis porcinus'': ''Saubrot'' in
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
, ''pain de pourceau'' in
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, ''pan porcino'' in
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
and ''varkensbrood'' in
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
.


Description

Cyclamen have a
tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...
, from which the leaves, flowers and roots grow. In most species
leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
come up in
autumn Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September ( Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Sou ...
, grow through the
winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...
and then die in
spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...
, then the plant goes ''dormant'' through the dry
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...
.


Tuber

The
storage organ A storage organ is a part of a plant specifically modified for storage of energy (generally in the form of carbohydrates) or water. Storage organs often grow underground, where they are better protected from attack by herbivores. Plants that have ...
of the cyclamen is a round
tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing ...
, which develops from the
hypocotyl The hypocotyl (short for "hypocotyledonous stem", meaning "below seed leaf") is the stem of a germinating seedling, found below the cotyledons (seed leaves) and above the radicle (root). Eudicots As the plant embryo grows at germination, it send ...
(the stem of a
seedling A seedling is a young sporophyte developing out of a plant embryo from a seed. Seedling development starts with germination of the seed. A typical young seedling consists of three main parts: the radicle (embryonic root), the hypocotyl (embry ...
). It is often mistakenly called a
corm A corm, bulbo-tuber, or bulbotuber is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ that some plants use to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat (perennation). The word ' ...
, but a corm (found in crocuses, for example) has a papery tunic and a basal plate from which the roots grow. The storage organ of the cyclamen has no papery covering and, depending on the species, roots may grow out of any part. It is therefore properly classified as a tuber (somewhat like a potato). The tuber may produce roots from the top, sides or bottom, depending on the species. ''
Cyclamen persicum ''Cyclamen persicum'', the Persian cyclamen, is a species of flowering herbaceous perennial plant growing from a tuber, native to rocky hillsides, shrubland, and woodland up to above sea level, from south-central Turkey to Lebanon-Syria and the ...
'' and ''
Cyclamen coum ''Cyclamen coum'', the eastern sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is a tuberous herbaceous perennial, growing to , with rounded heart-shaped leaves and pink shell-shaped flowers with darker coloration at the ...
'' root from the bottom; ''
Cyclamen hederifolium ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', the ivy-leaved cyclamen or sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. This widespread cyclamen species is widely cultivated and among the most hardy and vigorous in oceanic climates. It is na ...
'' roots from the top and sides. ''
Cyclamen graecum ''Cyclamen graecum'', the Greek cyclamen, is a perennial plant in the flowering plant family Primulaceae that grows from a tuber. It is native to southern Greece, southern Turkey and neighboring islands and is prized for its variable leaf forms, ...
'' has thick anchor roots on the bottom. The shape of the tuber may be near spherical, as in ''Cyclamen coum'', or flattened, as in ''Cyclamen hederifolium''. In some older specimens of ''
Cyclamen purpurascens ''Cyclamen purpurascens'', the Alpine, European or purple cyclamen, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Cyclamen'' of the family (biology), family Primulaceae, native plant, native to central Europe, northern Italy, and Slovenia. It i ...
'' and ''
Cyclamen rohlfsianum ''Cyclamen rohlfsianum'' is a species of perennial plant in the family Primulaceae. It is endemic to Libya. It grows from a tuber in shrubland, especially in limestone cracks, up to above sea level. It is one of the tenderest cyclamen species. ...
'' growing points on the tuber become separated by shoulders of tissue and the tuber becomes misshapen. In most other species the tuber is round in old age. Leaves and flowers sprout from growing points on the top of the tuber. Growing points that have lengthened and become like woody
stem Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
s are known as floral trunks. The size of the tuber varies depending on species. In ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' older tubers commonly reach across, but in ''
Cyclamen parviflorum ''Cyclamen parviflorum'', the small-flowered cyclamen is a flowering perennial plant growing from a tuber, native to high elevations in the Pontic Mountains of northern Turkey. It is the smallest cyclamen species and the only one native to alpin ...
'' tubers do not grow larger than across.


Leaves

Leaves sprout from growing points or floral trunks on top of the tuber. Each leaf grows on its own stem. Leaf stems in early growth may be distinguished from flower stems by the direction their tips curl: tips of leaf stems curl upwards and those of flower stems curl downwards. The shape of the
leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
varies among the species and even among different specimens of the same species. ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' and '' Cyclamen repandum'' usually have leaves shaped like
ivy ''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...
, with angles and lobes, ''Cyclamen coum'' has nearly round leaves and ''Cyclamen persicum'' has heart-shaped leaves with a pointed tip. The
leaf margin A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...
may be smooth, as in ''Cyclamen coum'' subsp. ''coum'', or finely toothed, as in ''Cyclamen graecum''. The color of the upper side of leaves is variable, even within a species. Most species have leaves
variegated Variegation is the appearance of differently coloured zones in the leaves and sometimes the stems and fruit of plants. Species with variegated individuals are sometimes found in the understory of tropical rainforests, and this habitat is the s ...
in several shades of green and silver, either in an irregular pattern of blotches or an arrowhead or Christmas-tree shape. In cultivation cyclamen, especially species other than ''Cyclamen persicum'', are selected as often for striking or unusual leaf patterns as for their flowers. The lower side of leaves is often shiny and its color varies from plain green to rich red or purple. Most cyclamen species originate from the Mediterranean, where summers are hot and dry and winters are cool and wet, and are summer- dormant: their leaves sprout in the autumn, remain through the winter and wither the next spring. ''Cyclamen purpurascens'' and ''Cyclamen colchicum'', however, originate from cooler regions in mountains and their leaves remain through the summer and wither only after the next year's leaves have developed.


Flowers

Flowering time may be any month of the year, depending on the species. ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' and ''
Cyclamen purpurascens ''Cyclamen purpurascens'', the Alpine, European or purple cyclamen, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Cyclamen'' of the family (biology), family Primulaceae, native plant, native to central Europe, northern Italy, and Slovenia. It i ...
'' bloom in summer and autumn, ''Cyclamen persicum'' and ''Cyclamen coum'' bloom in winter and '' Cyclamen repandum'' blooms in spring. Each
flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
is on a
stem Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...
coming from a growing point on the tuber. In all species the stem is normally bent 150-180° at the tip so that the nose of the flower faces downwards. ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' 'Stargazer' is an exception: its nose faces upwards. Flowers have 5
petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...
s, bent outwards or up, sometimes twisted, and connected at the base into a cup, and five
sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...
s behind the cup. Petal shape varies depending on species and sometimes within the same species. ''Cyclamen repandum'' has petals much longer than wide, ''Cyclamen coum'' has stubby, almost round petals, and ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' usually has petals with proportions between the two. Petal color may be white, pink or purple, often with darker color on the nose. Many species have a pink form and a white form but a few have only one color, such as ''
Cyclamen balearicum ''Cyclamen balearicum'', the Majorca or Balearic cyclamen, St. Peter's violet or sowbread, is a perennial plant growing from a tuber, native to shady areas in woodland of short evergreen trees and shrubs ( holm oak, Kermes oak, box) up to above ...
'', which is always white. The dark color on the flower nose varies in shape: ''Cyclamen persicum'' has a smooth band, ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' has a streaky V and ''Cyclamen coum'' has an M-shaped splotch with two white or pink ‘eyes’ beneath. In some species, such as ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', the petal edges at the nose are curved outwards into ''auricles'' (Latin for ‘little ears’). Most species, such as ''Cyclamen persicum'', have no auricles. In most species the
style Style is a manner of doing or presenting things and may refer to: * Architectural style, the features that make a building or structure historically identifiable * Design, the process of creating something * Fashion, a prevailing mode of clothing ...
protrudes 1–3 mm out of the nose of the flower but the
stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
s are inside the flower. In ''
Cyclamen rohlfsianum ''Cyclamen rohlfsianum'' is a species of perennial plant in the family Primulaceae. It is endemic to Libya. It grows from a tuber in shrubland, especially in limestone cracks, up to above sea level. It is one of the tenderest cyclamen species. ...
'', however, the cone of anthers sticks out prominently, about beyond the rim of the corolla, similar to shooting-stars ( ''Primula'' sect. ''Dodecatheon'').


Fruit

The flower stem coils or bends when the fruit begins to form. The stems of ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' and ''Cyclamen coum'' coil starting at the end, ''Cyclamen persicum'' arches downwards but does not curl, ''
Cyclamen rohlfsianum ''Cyclamen rohlfsianum'' is a species of perennial plant in the family Primulaceae. It is endemic to Libya. It grows from a tuber in shrubland, especially in limestone cracks, up to above sea level. It is one of the tenderest cyclamen species. ...
'' coils start near the tuber and ''Cyclamen graecum'' coils in both directions, starting in the middle. The
fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...
is a round
pod Pod or POD may refer to: Biology * Pod (fruit), a type of fruit of a flowering plant * Husk or pod of a legume * Pod of whales or other marine mammals * "-pod", a suffix meaning "foot" used in taxonomy Electronics and computing * Proper ort ...
, which opens by several flaps or teeth at maturity and contains numerous sticky
seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...
s, brown at maturity. Natural seed dispersal is by
ant Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22 ...
s (
myrmecochory Myrmecochory ( (sometimes myrmechory); from grc, μύρμηξ, mýrmēks ("ant") and ''khoreíā'' ("circular dance") is seed dispersal by ants, an ecologically significant ant–plant interaction with worldwide distribution. Most myrmeco ...
), which eat the sticky covering and then discard the seeds.


Taxonomy

The genus ''Cyclamen'' was first described by
Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...
in ''
Species Plantarum ' (Latin for "The Species of Plants") is a book by Carl Linnaeus, originally published in 1753, which lists every species of plant known at the time, classified into genera. It is the first work to consistently apply binomial names and was the ...
'' in 1753.


Phylogeny

A phylogeny of ''Cyclamen'' published in 2000, with four supported clades approximately corresponding to four subgenera, is shown below. The
phylogeny A phylogenetic tree (also phylogeny or evolutionary tree Felsenstein J. (2004). ''Inferring Phylogenies'' Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA.) is a branching diagram or a tree showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological spec ...
is based on morphology,
cytology Cell biology (also cellular biology or cytology) is a branch of biology that studies the structure, function, and behavior of cells. All living organisms are made of cells. A cell is the basic unit of life that is responsible for the living and ...
and DNA-sequences. A few species that were not included in the analysis are placed based on morphology only and are noted with a question mark. A study published in 2004 produced a similar phylogeny in a combined analysis of molecular and morphological data: A comparison of the groups produced in the two studies shows them to be very similar (see the table below). Nevertheless, the authors of the 2004 study declined to produce a subgeneric classification, concluding that more work was needed to align the phylogeny and classification of ''Cyclamen'', stating that "the publication of formal classifications before adequate data can provide a clear and consistent pattern of information, leads to nomenclatural instability".


Species

,
Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...
accepted the following species: *''
Cyclamen africanum ''Cyclamen africanum'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is referred to by the common name African cyclamen and is a perennial growing from a tuber, native to northern Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. It is similar to '' ...
'' Boiss. & Reut. *'' Cyclamen alpinum'' Dammann ex Sprenger *''
Cyclamen balearicum ''Cyclamen balearicum'', the Majorca or Balearic cyclamen, St. Peter's violet or sowbread, is a perennial plant growing from a tuber, native to shady areas in woodland of short evergreen trees and shrubs ( holm oak, Kermes oak, box) up to above ...
'' Willk. *''
Cyclamen cilicium ''Cyclamen cilicium'' is a species of flowering perennial plant in the family Primulaceae. It is native to coniferous woodland at elevation in the Taurus Mountains of southern Turkey. Etymology The species name ''cilicium'' is the adjective of ...
'' Boiss. & Heldr. *''
Cyclamen colchicum ''Cyclamen colchicum'' is a perennial growing from a tuber, native to densely shaded areas among rocks or tree roots in woodland on limestone at elevation in the autonomous republic of Adjara in Georgia, about from the range of the closely rela ...
'' (Albov) Correvon *''
Cyclamen coum ''Cyclamen coum'', the eastern sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is a tuberous herbaceous perennial, growing to , with rounded heart-shaped leaves and pink shell-shaped flowers with darker coloration at the ...
'' Mill. *'' Cyclamen creticum'' (Dörfl.) Hildebr. *''
Cyclamen cyprium ''Cyclamen cyprium'' (Cyprus cyclamen) is a perennial growing from a tuber, native to woodland at elevation in the mountains of Cyprus. It is the national flower. '' Cyclamen persicum'' and ''Cyclamen graecum'' are also found on Cyprus, but are ...
'' Kotschy *''
Cyclamen graecum ''Cyclamen graecum'', the Greek cyclamen, is a perennial plant in the flowering plant family Primulaceae that grows from a tuber. It is native to southern Greece, southern Turkey and neighboring islands and is prized for its variable leaf forms, ...
'' Link *''
Cyclamen hederifolium ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', the ivy-leaved cyclamen or sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. This widespread cyclamen species is widely cultivated and among the most hardy and vigorous in oceanic climates. It is na ...
'' Aiton *''
Cyclamen intaminatum ''Cyclamen intaminatum'' (= '' Cyclamen cilicium'' var. ''intaminatum'') is a perennial flowering plant growing from a tuber, native to oak woodland in scattered spots at in western Turkey. It is similar to ''Cyclamen cilicium'', but smaller. ...
'' (Meikle) Grey-Wilson *''
Cyclamen libanoticum ''Cyclamen libanoticum'' (Lebanon cyclamen) is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is native to a small area in the mountains of Lebanon northeast of Beirut at elevation, in and around Jabal Moussa Biosphere Reserve. From ...
'' Hildebr. *'' Cyclamen mirabile'' Hildebr. *''
Cyclamen parviflorum ''Cyclamen parviflorum'', the small-flowered cyclamen is a flowering perennial plant growing from a tuber, native to high elevations in the Pontic Mountains of northern Turkey. It is the smallest cyclamen species and the only one native to alpin ...
'' Pobed. *''
Cyclamen persicum ''Cyclamen persicum'', the Persian cyclamen, is a species of flowering herbaceous perennial plant growing from a tuber, native to rocky hillsides, shrubland, and woodland up to above sea level, from south-central Turkey to Lebanon-Syria and the ...
'' Mill. *'' Cyclamen pseudibericum'' Hildebr. *''
Cyclamen purpurascens ''Cyclamen purpurascens'', the Alpine, European or purple cyclamen, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Cyclamen'' of the family (biology), family Primulaceae, native plant, native to central Europe, northern Italy, and Slovenia. It i ...
'' Mill. *'' Cyclamen repandum'' Sm. *''
Cyclamen rohlfsianum ''Cyclamen rohlfsianum'' is a species of perennial plant in the family Primulaceae. It is endemic to Libya. It grows from a tuber in shrubland, especially in limestone cracks, up to above sea level. It is one of the tenderest cyclamen species. ...
'' Asch. *'' Cyclamen somalense'' Thulin & Warfa


Ecology

Cyclamen species are eaten by the
caterpillars Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Symph ...
of the gothic moth.


Conservation

Cyclamen diversity in the Mediterranean has been studied extensively to understand how the species remain distinct (Debussche et al., 2000, 2002, 2003) and how they have reacted to the dramatic climate changes in the region. Certain climate-change models suggest many species could become extinct in their current range within the next 50 years. In many areas within the native range cyclamen populations have been severely depleted by collection from the wild, often illegally, for the horticultural trade; some species are now
endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...
as a result. However in a few areas plant-conservation charities have educated local people to control the harvest carefully at a sustainable level, including sowing seed for future crops, both sustaining the wild populations and producing a reliable long-term income. Many cyclamen are also propagated in nurseries without harm to the wild plants.


Culture

In the sixteenth century, women in their early stages of pregnancy avoided cyclamens in fear of a miscarriage because they were considered to strongly induce childbirth. Cyclamens were used as love-charms, aphrodisiacs, and intoxicant and a small amount would be put in cakes or a cup of wine.


Cultivation and uses

Cyclamen are commonly grown for their flowers, both outdoors and indoors in pots. Several species, particularly ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', are hardy and can be grown outdoors in mild climates such as northwest
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
and the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...
of North America. The Cyclamen Society is the
International Cultivar Registration Authority An International Cultivation Registration Authority (ICRA) is an organization responsible for ensuring that the names of plant cultivars and cultivar groups are defined and not duplicated. The ICRA system was established more 50 years ago, and op ...
for ''Cyclamen'' excluding ''C. persicum'', and currently recognises over 100 registered cultivars.


Hardiness

Cyclamen species range from
frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor in an above-freezing atmosphere coming in contact with a solid surface whose temperature is below freezing, and resulting in a phase change from water vapor (a gas) ...
-
hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, Sout ...
to frost-tender. The most frost-hardy species, such as ''C. purpurascens'', ''C. hederifolium'', ''C. coum'' and ''C. cilicium'', tolerate temperatures down to . ''C. hederifolium'' has even survived prolonged freezing and temperatures down to . ''C. repandum'' survives temperatures down to but not prolonged freezing below this temperature. ''C. graecum'' tolerates frost as low as for a few hours. Others, such as ''C. africanum'', ''C. persicum'' and ''C. rohlfsianum'', tolerate only mild and brief frost.


Florists’ cyclamen

The cyclamen commonly sold by
florist Floristry is the production, commerce, and trade in flowers. It encompasses flower care and handling, floral design and arrangement, merchandising, production, display and flower delivery. Wholesale florists sell bulk flowers and related sup ...
s is ''
Cyclamen persicum ''Cyclamen persicum'', the Persian cyclamen, is a species of flowering herbaceous perennial plant growing from a tuber, native to rocky hillsides, shrubland, and woodland up to above sea level, from south-central Turkey to Lebanon-Syria and the ...
'', which is frost-tender. Selected cyclamen
cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s have white, bright pink, red or purple flowers. While flowering florists' cyclamen should be kept below , with the night-time temperatures preferably . Temperatures above may induce the plant to become dormant.


Gallery

Cyclamen bloom in different seasons, depending on the species. Image:Cyclamen trochopteranthum.jpg, ''C. alpinum'' Image:Cyclamen balearicum Mallorca 002.jpg, ''C. balearicum'' Image:Cyclamen coum clump2.jpg, ''C. coum'' Image:Cyclamen parviflorum-2.JPG, ''C. coum'' subsp. ''caucasicum'' Image:Cyclamen elegans.jpg, ''C. coum'' subsp. ''elegans'', syn. ''C. elegans'' Image:Cyclamen creticum 002.JPG, ''C. creticum'' Image:Cyclamen libanoticum01.jpg, ''C. libanoticum'' Image:Cyclamen parviflorum.jpg, ''C. parviflorum'' Image:Cyclamen-Marth 04, 2007.JPG, ''C. persicum'' Image:Cyclamen pseudibericum04.jpg, ''C. pseudibericum'' Image:Cyclamen repandum.jpg, ''C. repandum'' Image:Cyclamen peloponnesiacum04.jpg, ''C. repandum'' subsp. ''rhodense'', syn. ''C. rhodium'' Image:Cylamen africanum.JPG, ''C. africanum'' Image:Cyclamen cilicium01.jpg, ''C. cilicium'' Image:Cyclamen colchicum.jpg, ''C. colchicum'' Image:Cyclamen cyprium.jpg, ''C. cyprium'' Image:Cyclamen graecum04.jpg, ''C. graecum'' Image:Cyclamen intaminatum02.jpg, ''C. intaminatum'' Image:Cyclamen hederifolium.jpg, ''C. hederifolium'' Image:Cyclamen_mirabile02.jpg, ''C. mirabile'' Image:Cyclamen purpurascens 280803.jpg, ''C. purpurascens'' Image:Cyclamen rohlfsianum02.jpg, ''C. rohlfsianum''


References


Notes


Sources

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External links


The Cyclamen Society

Plants for a Future: ''Cyclamen''

Cyclamen Q&A
{{Authority control Primulaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Saponaceous plants