Cyclamen cyprium

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Cyclamen cyprium.jpg

| genus = Cyclamen

| parent = Cyclamen subg. Gyrophoebe

| species = cyprium

| authority = Kotschy

}}

Cyclamen cyprium (Cyprus cyclamen) is a perennial growing from a tuber, native to woodland at {{convert|300|-|1200|m|ft|abbr=on}} elevation in the mountains of Cyprus. It is the national flower.{{Cite web |url=http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/fd/fd.nsf/a5e0199a400ea5d8c2257060003da28b/BB1649B6A125D106C225710A00286CC0/$file/kyklamino%20-%20cyclamen_cyprium%20-%20greek.pdf |title=Κυκλάμινο το κυπριακό |access-date=2008-06-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060518013303/http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/fd/fd.nsf/a5e0199a400ea5d8c2257060003da28b/BB1649B6A125D106C225710A00286CC0/$file/kyklamino%20-%20cyclamen_cyprium%20-%20greek.pdf |archive-date=2006-05-18 |url-status=dead }} 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.{{cn|date=November 2023}}

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.{{cn|date=November 2023}}

After pollination, flower stems curl, and seeds are borne in round pods, opening by 5 flaps when mature.{{cn|date=November 2023}}

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

Image:Cyclamen cyprium (leaves).jpg|leaves

References

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