Cyclamen cyprium, known as the Cyprus cyclamen, is one of the 20 known species of cyclamen. It is endemic to the island of Cyprus and has been selected to represent the national flower of the country.

Description

The Cyprus cyclamen is a perennial, tuberous herb that grows from 7 to a maximum of about 15 cm in height. It has simple, heart-shaped, fleshy leaves, which have long petioles and coarsely dentate margins. The undersurface of the leaves are characteristically rich purple or crimson-purple. The flowers are solitary, nodding, on long pedicles; the petal is 5-lobed, white or pale pink, with an M-shaped magenta blotch towards the base of each lobe. Flowers appear in autumn, usually a little earlier than the leaves. Soon after anthesis, the pedicles start coiling from apex downwards and a globose capsule appears on each pedicle.

Distribution

The plant grows on shaded calcareous or igneous rocks, steep hillsides and streambanks, usually under trees and shrubs at an altitude of 50 to 1200 m. It flowers from September to January, but on occasion flowering is prolonged to March. Cyprus cyclamen is the only endemic of the three species of the genus Cyclamen found in Cyprus, the others being Cyclamen persicum, and Cycamen graecum. It grows on most of the island with the exception of the Mesaoria plain.

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