SPECIES DESCRIPTION
CYCLAMEN PERSICUM
Family and Genus:- See- PRIMULACEAE
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- Cyclamen latifolium
Meaning:- Cyclemen (Gr) Circle a name used by the Greek philosopher
Theophrastus for the coiled fruiting stalk.
Persicum (L) From Persia, Persian.
Tuber:-
1) 4-15 cm or more Æ, subglobose or depressed-globose, corky, rooting from the
base.
Leaves:-
1) 3-14 x 3-14 cm, cordate, acute or obtuse; margins somewhat thickened, closely
and obtusely denticulate, but rarely angled or lobed.
Flower:-
1) Corolla, without auricles, white or pink with a darker purple zone around the
throat;
a) lobes, 25-45 mm.
2) Styles, exserted for 1-2 mm.
3) Fruiting pedicel, arcuate but not coiling.
Fruit:-
1) Stalk, coiling from the centre in both directions.
Key features:-
1) Leaves, closely and obtusely denticulate, rarely angled or lobed.
2) Corolla-lobes, 25-45 mm.
3) Fruiting pedicel. arcuate but not coiled.
Click here for a glossary of terms used
Habitat:- Rocky limestone slopes with dry open shrubby vegetation, edges of terraced olive groves, archaeological sites. 0-250(-750) m.
Distribution:- In Greece only recorded from the Aegean area. - Common in Cyprus, also in S Anatolia, W Syria to Palestine, N Tunisia and Algeria. Very rare on Crete currently known from only one location in the far NE of the island
Flowering time:- Feb to early May.
Photos by:- Kind permission of Saxifraga - Free Nature Images
