| Cyclamen cyprium | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Primulaceae |
| Genus: | Cyclamen |
| Subgenus: | C. subg. Gyrophoebe |
| Species: | C. cyprium |
| Binomial name | |
| Cyclamen cyprium | |
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 – another species of sub-genus Gyrophoebe. This fertile hybrid has pink flowers from November until March.
Gallery
leaves
References
- ↑ "Κυκλάμινο το κυπριακό" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-18. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
