{ { Automatic taxobox
|image = Wild cyclamens.jpg
|image_caption = Wild Cyclamen persicum
|display_parents = 2
|taxon = Cyclamen
|authority = L. |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = See text. |synonyms = Cyclaminos Heldr.Cyclaminum Bubani Cyclaminus Haller |synonyms_ref = }}Cyclamen ( or ) is a genus of 23 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. In English, it is known by the common names sowbread or swinebread. Cyclamen species are native to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin east to the Caucasus and Iran, with one species in Somalia. They grow from tubers and are valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves.
It was traditionally classified in the family Primulaceae, was reclassified in the family Myrsinaceae in 2000 and finally, in 2009 with the introduction of the APG III system, was returned to the subfamily Myrsinoideae within the family Primulaceae.
NamesCyclamen is Medieval Latin, from earlier Latin cyclamīnos, from Ancient Greek κυκλάμινος, kyklā́mīnos (also kyklāmī́s), from κύκλος, kýklos "circle", because of the round tuber. 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 also amulētum "amulet", because it was believed that evil spells had no effect where it grew.
In many languages cyclamen species are colloquially called by a name like the English sowbread or swinebread (because they are said to be eaten by pigs), based on Medieval Latin panis porcinus: Saubrot in German, pain de pourceau in French, pan porcino in Italian and varkensbrood in Dutch.
Description
Cyclamen have a tuber, from which the leaves, flowers and roots grow. In most species leaves come up in autumn, grow through the winter and then die in spring, then the plant goes dormant through the dry Mediterranean summer.
Tuber
The storage organ of the cyclamen is a round tuber, which develops from the hypocotyl (the stem of a seedling). It is often mistakenly called a corm, 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 and Cyclamen coum root from the bottom; Cyclamen hederifolium roots from the top and sides. Cyclamen graecum has thick anchor roots on the bottom.
The shape of the tuber may be near spherical, as in Cyclamen coum, or flattened, as in Cyclamen hederifolium. In some older specimens of Cyclamen purpurascens and Cyclamen rohlfsianum growing points on the tuber become separated by shoulders of tissue and the tuber becomes misshapen. 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 woody stems are known as floral trunks.
The size of the tuber varies depending on species. In Cyclamen hederifolium older tubers commonly reach across, but in Cyclamen parviflorum tubers do not grow larger than across.
Leaves
Leaves sprout from growing points or floral trunks on top of the tuber. Each leaf grows on its own stem. 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 the leaves varies among the species and even among different specimens of the same species. Cyclamen hederifolium and Cyclamen repandum usually have leaves shaped like ivy, with angles and lobes, Cyclamen coum has nearly round leaves and Cyclamen persicum has heart-shaped leaves with a pointed tip. The leaf margin may be smooth, as in Cyclamen coum subsp. coum, or finely toothed, as in Cyclamen graecum.
The color of the upper side of leaves is variable, even within a species. Most species have leaves variegated 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 than Cyclamen persicum, are selected as often for striking or unusual leaf patterns as for their flowers.
The lower side of leaves is often shiny and its color varies from plain green to rich red or purple.