''Cyclamen africanum'' is a species of

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 ...

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 ...

. It is referred to by the common name African cyclamen and is a

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 ...

growing from 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 ...

, native to northern

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

and

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

. It is similar to ''

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 ...

'', but not frost- hardy.

Description

The

produces

root In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...

s from the top, sides, and bottom, unlike ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', which produces roots from the top and sides, but not the bottom. Both 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 ...

and

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 are similar to ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', but are larger on average. Leaf and flower stalks extend straight up from the tuber; in ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' the leaf stalks extend outwards before bending up, forming an "elbow". ''Cyclamen africanum'' crosses easily with ''Cyclamen hederifolium''. Plants sold by nurseries are often hybrids between the two species (''Cyclamen'' ×''hildebrandii'' O. Schwarz). This robust hybrid is more hardy than ''Cyclamen africanum'' and can be planted outside in a sheltered place.

References

External links

Cyclamen SocietyPacific Bulb SocietyCyclamen: a guide for gardeners, horticulturists, and botanists
by C. Grey-Wilson — Google Books *

(photos of tuber)

— Mark Griffiths
photos
—

Flickr Flickr ( ; ) is an American image hosting and video hosting service, as well as an online community, founded in Canada and headquartered in the United States. It was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and was a popular way for amateur and professional ...

search {{Taxonbar, from=Q832439 africanum Taxa named by George François Reuter Taxa named by Pierre Edmond Boissier Flora of Algeria Flora of Morocco Flora of Tunisia