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