It was traditionally classified in thefamilyPrimulaceae, was reclassified in the familyMyrsinaceae[5] in 2000[6] and finally, in 2009 with the introduction of theAPG III system, was returned to the subfamily Myrsinoideae within the familyPrimulaceae.[7]
Cyclamen isMedieval Latin, from earlierLatincyclamīnos,[8] fromAncient Greek κυκλάμινος,kyklā́mīnos (alsokyklāmī́s), from κύκλος,kýklos "circle",[9] because of the round tuber.[10] In English the species of the genus are commonly called by the genus name.
Pliny the Elder describes how it was called in antiquity by Roman country men:tūber terrae, literally "earth truffle" or alsoamulētum "amulet", because it was believed that evil spells had no effect where it grew.[11]
In many languages cyclamen species are colloquially called by a name like the Englishsowbread orswinebread (because they are said to be eaten by pigs), based onMedieval Latinpanis porcinus:Saubrot inGerman,pain de pourceau inFrench,pan porcino inItalian andvarkensbrood inDutch.
Cyclamen have atuber, from which the leaves, flowers and roots grow. In most speciesleaves come up inautumn, grow through thewinter and then die inspring, then the plant goesdormant through the dryMediterraneansummer.
Tuber and rootsA tuber ofCyclamen purpurascens with three floral trunks
Thestorage organ of the cyclamen is a roundtuber, which develops from thehypocotyl (the stem of aseedling). It is often mistakenly called acorm, but a corm (found in crocuses, for example) has a papery tunic and a basal plate from which the roots grow. The storage organ of the cyclamen has no papery covering and, depending on the species, roots may grow out of any part. It is therefore properly classified as a tuber (somewhat like a potato). The tuber may produce roots from the top, sides or bottom, depending on the species.Cyclamen persicum andCyclamen coum root from the bottom;Cyclamen hederifolium roots from the top and sides.Cyclamen graecum has thick anchor roots on the bottom.[12] The roots and tubes of cyclamen plants are known to contain the compoundcyclamin.
The shape of the tuber may be near spherical, as inCyclamen coum, or flattened, as inCyclamen hederifolium. In some older specimens ofCyclamen purpurascens andCyclamen rohlfsianum growing points on the tuber become separated by shoulders of tissue and the tuber becomes misshapen.[13] In most other species the tuber is round in old age.
Leaves and flowers sprout from growing points on the top of the tuber. Growing points that have lengthened and become like woodystems are known asfloral trunks.[13]
The size of the tuber varies depending on species. InCyclamen hederifolium older tubers commonly reach 24 cm (9+1⁄2 in) across, but inCyclamen parviflorum tubers do not grow larger than2 cm (3⁄4 in) across.[13]
Leaves sprout from growing points or floral trunks on top of the tuber. Each leaf grows on its own stem.[14] Leaf stems in early growth may be distinguished from flower stems by the direction their tips curl: tips of leaf stems curl upwards and those of flower stems curl downwards.
The shape of theleaves varies among the species and even among different specimens of the same species.Cyclamen hederifolium andCyclamen repandum usually have leaves shaped likeivy, with angles and lobes,Cyclamen coum has nearly round leaves andCyclamen persicum has heart-shaped leaves with a pointed tip. Theleaf margin may be smooth, as inCyclamen coum subsp.coum, or finely toothed, as inCyclamen graecum.[14]
The color of the upper side of leaves is variable, even within a species. Most species have leavesvariegated in several shades of green and silver, either in an irregular pattern of blotches or an arrowhead or Christmas-tree shape. In cultivation cyclamen, especially species other thanCyclamen persicum, are selected as often for striking or unusual leaf patterns as for their flowers.[14]
The lower side of leaves is often shiny and its color varies from plain green to rich red or purple.[14]
Most cyclamen species originate from the Mediterranean, where summers are hot and dry and winters are cool and wet, and are summer-dormant: their leaves sprout in the autumn, remain through the winter and wither the next spring.Cyclamen purpurascens andCyclamen colchicum, however, originate from cooler regions in mountains and their leaves remain through the summer and wither only after the next year's leaves have developed.
On leftC. persicum (without auricles); on rightC. hederifolium (with auricles)
Flowering time may be any month of the year, depending on the species.Cyclamen hederifolium andCyclamen purpurascens bloom in summer and autumn,Cyclamen persicum andCyclamen coum bloom in winter andCyclamen repandum blooms in spring.[15]
Eachflower is on astem coming from a growing point on the tuber.[15] In all species the stem is normally bent 150-180° at the tip so that the nose of the flower faces downwards.Cyclamen hederifolium 'Stargazer' is an exception: its nose faces upwards. Flowers have 5petals, bent outwards or up, sometimes twisted, and connected at the base into a cup, and fivesepals behind the cup.
Petal shape varies depending on species and sometimes within the same species.Cyclamen repandum has petals much longer than wide,Cyclamen coum has stubby, almost round petals, andCyclamen hederifolium usually has petals with proportions between the two.
Petal color may be white, pink or purple, often with darker color on the nose. Many species have a pink form and a white form but a few have only one color, such asCyclamen balearicum, which is always white.
The dark color on the flower nose varies in shape:Cyclamen persicum has a smooth band,Cyclamen hederifolium has a streaky V andCyclamen coum has an M-shaped splotch with two white or pink ‘eyes’ beneath.
In some species, such asCyclamen hederifolium, the petal edges at the nose are curved outwards intoauricles (Latin for ‘little ears’). Most species, such asCyclamen persicum, have no auricles.
In most species thestyle protrudes 1–3 mm out of the nose of the flower but thestamens are inside the flower. InCyclamen rohlfsianum, however, the cone of anthers sticks out prominently, about 2–3 mm (0.08–0.12 in) beyond the rim of thecorolla, similar to shooting-stars (Primula sect.Dodecatheon).
The flower stem coils or bends when the fruit begins to form. The stems ofCyclamen hederifolium andCyclamen coum coil starting at the end,Cyclamen persicum arches downwards but does not curl,Cyclamen rohlfsianum coils start near the tuber andCyclamen graecum coils in both directions, starting in the middle.
Thefruit is a roundpod, whichopens by several flaps or teeth at maturity and contains numerous stickyseeds, brown at maturity. Natural seed dispersal is byants (myrmecochory), which eat the sticky covering and then discard the seeds.
Distribution map of the species of the genus cylamen in Europe, Asia and Africa. (Presumed spread according to wikipedia sources and informations from "cyclamen.org"))
A phylogeny ofCyclamen published in 2000, with four supported clades approximately corresponding to four subgenera, is shown below.[17] Thephylogeny is based on morphology,cytology andDNA-sequences. A few species that were not included in the analysis are placed based on morphology only and are noted with a question mark.
A study published in 2004 produced a similar phylogeny in a combined analysis of molecular and morphological data:[18]
Clade A
C. creticum
C. repandum
C. balearicum
Clade B
C. hederifolium
C. africanum
C. purpurascens
C. colchicum
Clade C
C. rohlfsianum
C. graecum
C. persicum
C. somalense
Clade D
C. parviflorum
C. pseudibericum
C. libanoticum
C. cyprium
C. cilicium
C. mirabile
C. intaminatum
C. alpinum
C. coum
C. elegans
A comparison of the groups produced in the two studies shows them to be very similar (see the table below). Nevertheless, the authors of the 2004 study declined to produce a subgeneric classification, concluding that more work was needed to align the phylogeny and classification ofCyclamen, stating that "the publication of formal classifications before adequate data can provide a clear and consistent pattern of information, leads to nomenclatural instability".[18]
Cyclamen diversity in the Mediterranean has been studied extensively to understand how the species remain distinct (Debussche et al., 2000, 2002, 2003) and how they have reacted to the dramatic climate changes in the region. Certain climate-change models suggest many species could become extinct in their current range within the next 50 years.[19]
In many areas within the native range cyclamen populations have been severely depleted by collection from the wild, often illegally, for the horticultural trade; some species are nowendangered as a result. However in a few areas plant-conservation charities have educated local people to control the harvest carefully at a sustainable level, including sowing seed for future crops, both sustaining the wild populations and producing a reliable long-term income. Many cyclamen are also propagated in nurseries without harm to the wild plants.
In the sixteenth century, women in their early stages of pregnancy avoided cyclamens in fear of a miscarriage because they were considered to strongly induce childbirth.[20]
Cyclamens were used as love-charms, aphrodisiacs, and intoxicant and a small amount would be put in cakes or a cup of wine.[20]
Cyclamen are commonly grown for their flowers, both outdoors and indoors in pots. Several species, particularlyCyclamen hederifolium, are hardy and can be grown outdoors in mild climates such as northwestEurope and thePacific Northwest of North America.
Cyclamen flowers have a subtle scent that is reminiscent of both lily of the valley and rose. The cyclamen note is used in perfumery to give clean, watercolor-like scent. Example of a perfume with a leading cyclamen note is Masaki Shiro by the Japanese brand Masaki Matsushima.[22]
Cyclamen species range fromfrost-hardy to frost-tender.
The most frost-hardy species, such asC. purpurascens,C. hederifolium,C. coum andC. cilicium, tolerate temperatures down to −20 °C (−4 °F).C. hederifolium has even survived prolonged freezing and temperatures down to −30 °C (−22 °F).C. repandum survives temperatures down to −14 °C (7 °F) but not prolonged freezing below this temperature.C. graecum tolerates frost as low as −4 °C (25 °F) for a few hours. Others, such asC. africanum,C. persicum andC. rohlfsianum, tolerate only mild and brief frost.
The cyclamen commonly sold byflorists isCyclamen persicum, which is frost-tender. Selected cyclamencultivars have white, bright pink, red or purple flowers. While flowering, florists' cyclamen should be kept below 20 °C (68 °F), with the night-time temperatures preferably 6.5–15 °C (43.7–59.0 °F). Temperatures above 20 °C (68 °F) may induce the plant to become dormant.
Anderberg, Arne A.; Trift, Ida; Källersjö, Mari (2000). "Phylogeny ofCyclamen L. (Primulaceae): Evidence from morphology and sequence data from the internal transcribed spacers of nuclear ribosomal DNA".Plant Systematics and Evolution.220 (3–4):147–160.Bibcode:2000PSyEv.220..147A.doi:10.1007/BF00985043.S2CID12464092.
Debussche, Max; Thompson, John D (2003). "Habitat differentiation between two closely related Mediterranean plant species, the endemic Cyclamen balearicum and the widespread C. repandum".Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology.24 (1):35–45.Bibcode:2003AcO....24...35D.doi:10.1016/s1146-609x(02)00006-1.
Grey-Wilson, Christopher (1998).Cyclamen: a guide for gardeners, horticulturists, and botanists. Timber Press.
Grey-Wilson, Christopher (2002).Cyclamen: a guide for gardeners, horticulturists, and botanists (revised and updated ed.). Timber Press.
Källersjö, Mari; Bergqvist, Gullevi; Anderberg, Arne A. (2000). "Generic realignment in primuloid families of the Ericales s.l.: A phylogenetic analysis based on DNA sequences from three chloroplast genes and morphology".American Journal of Botany.87 (9):1325–1341.doi:10.2307/2656725.JSTOR2656725.PMID10991903.
Stevens, Peter F (July 2012)."Myrsinoideae".Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.
Yesson, C; Toomey, NH; Culham, A (2008). "Cyclamen: Time, sea and speciation biogeography using a temporally calibrated phylogeny".Journal of Biogeography.36 (7):1234–1252.doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2008.01971.x.S2CID85573501.
