Cyclamen cyprium

Cyclamen cyprium
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Primulaceae
Genus: Cyclamen
Subgenus: Corticata
Binomial name
Cyclamen cyprium
Kotschy

Cyclamen cyprium (Cyprus cyclamen) is a perennial growing from a tuber, native to woodland at 300–1,200 m (980–3,940 ft) elevation in the mountains of Cyprus. It is the national flower.[1] Cyclamen persicum and Cyclamen graecum are also found on Cyprus, but are not endemic.

Description

Leaves are heart-shaped with coarsely toothed edges, green variegated with blotches of silver above and purple beneath.

Flowers bloom in autumn to winter, and have 5 upswept petals, white to pale pink with a magenta blotch near the nose. The bases of the petals curve outwards into auricles.

After pollination, flower stems curl, and seeds are borne in round pods, opening by 5 flaps when mature.

Cyclamen ×wellensiekii Iets. is a hybrid obtained in 1969 in the Netherlands between this species and Cyclamen libanoticum – the other species of sub-genus Corticata. This fertile hybrid has pink flowers from November until March.

References

  1. ↑ Κυκλάμινο το κυπριακό
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