Cyclamen

Cyclamen graecum in Greece

The cyclamen (Cyclamen ) are a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Myrsinengewächse ( Myrsinoideae ) within the family of Primrose ( Primulaceae ). To this genus include about 22 species, of which most species are native to the Mediterranean.

Only one species, the European cyclamen (Cyclamen purpurascens ), is widespread in the Alps, after which the genus is named in German. The well-known pot plant is the Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum ) that has its roots in Asia Minor, whence it has come to Europe in the 17th century.

Description

Cyclamen species are forming perennial herbaceous plants, the tubers as outlasting. The stalked leaves are simple and often have a bright drawing on the leaf surface.

Cyclamen bear standing on stalks single blossoms, although hanging down, their petals are, however, strongly curved upwards. Their color ranges from white to pink to purple.

The fruit capsules are sunk with increasing maturity by growth and Einkrümmen of the stem into the soil. The capsules open only when they are in the earth.

Cyclamen pseudibericum - beginning of flowering

Cyclamen purpurascens - Einkrümmen of the stem at the end of flowering

Cyclamen hederifolium - Mature capsules and seeds

Systematics and distribution

The Cyclamen species have areas around the Mediterranean: Europe and North Africa to Asia Minor. In the genus Cyclamen (Cyclamen ) are known about 22 species. Here the subgenera are listed by species, subspecies, synonyms, and home to the species:

• Subgenus Corticata: Cyclamen cyprium Kotschy: with native Cyprus.
• Cyclamen libanoticum Hildebr. Homeland with Lebanon.

• Cyclamen africanum Boiss. & Reut. Homeland with Algeria and Tunisia.
• Cyclamen colchicum ( Albov ) Albov: with native Georgia (Caucasus).
• Cyclamen graecum Link: with native Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. Cyclamen graecum Link subsp. graecum: on the Greek mainland, the Cyclades, in north- eastern Aegean islands of Crete and Lesvos south to Ikaria.
• Cyclamen graecum subsp. anatolicum Ietsw. , in Rhodes, in southern Anatolia and northern Cyprus.
• Cyclamen graecum subsp. candicum Ietsw. only in Crete.

• Cyclamen hederifolium Aiton subsp. hederifolium
• Cyclamen hederifolium subsp. confusum ( Grey- Wilson) Grey- Wilson in southern Sicily, southern Greece and in south-western Turkey.

• Cyclamen alpinum hort. Dammann ex Sprenger ( Syn: Cyclamen trochopteranthum O.Schwarz ): with homeland in south-west Anatolia.
• Cyclamen cilicicum Boiss. & Heldr. Whose home in south-western Turkey. The species is also cultivated.
• Early spring cyclamen (Cyclamen coum million ) with home in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Eastern Bulgaria, northern Iran, northern Israel, northern Lebanon, western Syria, Turkey. Cyclamen coum subsp. coum
• Cyclamen coum subsp. caucasicum ( K. Koch ) O. Schwarz: with home in the northwestern Turkey and the Caucasus.

• Cyclamen parviflorum subsp. parviflorum
• Cyclamen parviflorum subsp. subalpinum ( Grey- Wilson) Grey -Wilson

• Cyclamen balearicum Willk. Whose home in southern France and the Balearic Islands.
• Cyclamen creticum ( Dörfl. ) Hildebr. Whose home on Crete and Karpathos.
• Cyclamen rhodium R.Gorer ex O.Schwarz & Lepper: Cyclamen rhodium subsp. rhodium: in Rhodes and Kos.
• Cyclamen rhodium subsp. peloponnesiacum ( Grey- Wilson) J.Compton & Culham (syn.: C. peloponnesiacum ( Grey- Wilson) Kit Tan ): in the Peloponnese, Andros and Tinos.
• Cyclamen rhodium subsp. vividum ( Grey- Wilson) J.Compton & Culham: on the eastern Peloponnese.

Ornamental plants

Some species are hardy in Central Europe and be planted in shady places in gardens. Best known are the cultivars of Cyclamen persicum - hybrids with us. They do not tolerate frost and are maintained as houseplants in a cool place.

Swell

• Chris Yesson, Alastair Culham: A phyloclimatic study of Cyclamen. In: BMC evolutionary biology. 6, No. 72, 2006, pp. 1-23, PMC 1599755 ( free full text )