Cyclamen parviflorum
Encyclopedia
Cyclamen parviflorum is a perennial
growing from a tuber
, native to high elevations in the Pontic Mountains
of northern Turkey
. It is the smallest cyclamen
species and the only one native to alpine tundra
.
Cyclamen coum
has similar flowers, but grows mostly at lower elevations. Where the two species are found together, they do not seem to hybridize.
and subalpine woodland
and meadow
at 1200–2400 m (3,937–7,874 ft) above sea level
in the eastern part of the Pontic Mountains
of northern Turkey
. In the lower-elevation part of its range, it inhabits grassy slopes, rocky places, and oriental spruce forests, sometimes beneath Rhododendron luteum
. At higher elevations, it grows among Rhododendron
and Vaccinium
shrubs or in alpine
meadow; here snow
may be as much as 1 metres (3.3 ft) deep.
is round or round-flattened, usually less than 3 centimetres (1.2 in) across, but occasionally up to 4 centimetres (1.6 in), with roots from the center of the bottom like Cyclamen coum
. In the wild, the tuber sits 5–20 cm (2–7.9 in) underground.
Leaves
are wider than long. Leaf color is dark green above and deep red below. Unlike other species, such as the similar Cyclamen coum
, Cyclamen parviflorum is never variegated with silver.
Flower
s are fragrant and have five petal
s, pink to purple with a dark purple marking on the nose, short and rounded as in Cyclamen coum.
Cyclamen parviflorum var. parviflorum has petals bent upwards (4-8 mm, - inch long). It inhabits open habitats at higher elevations.
Cyclamen parviflorum var. subalpinum has petals bent outwards, not up (8-11 mm, - inch long), and twisted like the blades of a propeller, similar to Cyclamen alpinum. It inhabits densely shaded areas in lower-elevation woodland.
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
growing from a tuber
Tuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
, native to high elevations in the Pontic Mountains
Pontic Mountains
The Pontic Mountains form a mountain range in Northern Turkey, also known as the Parhar mountains in the local Turkish and Pontic Greek languages. The term "Parhar" originates from the Hittite word meaning "high" or "summit"....
of northern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. It is the smallest cyclamen
Cyclamen
Cyclamen is a genus of 23 species of perennials growing from tubers, valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves...
species and the only one native to alpine tundra
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
.
Cyclamen coum
Cyclamen coum
Cyclamen coum is one of a group of cyclamens with stubby flowers and nearly round leaves. Species of the group are native to areas near the coasts of the eastern Mediterranean and the Black and Caspian Seas, from sea level to alpine tundra.-Etymology:The species name is the adjective of a place name...
has similar flowers, but grows mostly at lower elevations. Where the two species are found together, they do not seem to hybridize.
Distribution
Cyclamen parviflorum is native to alpine tundraAlpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
and subalpine woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
and meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
at 1200–2400 m (3,937–7,874 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
in the eastern part of the Pontic Mountains
Pontic Mountains
The Pontic Mountains form a mountain range in Northern Turkey, also known as the Parhar mountains in the local Turkish and Pontic Greek languages. The term "Parhar" originates from the Hittite word meaning "high" or "summit"....
of northern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. In the lower-elevation part of its range, it inhabits grassy slopes, rocky places, and oriental spruce forests, sometimes beneath Rhododendron luteum
Rhododendron luteum
Rhododendron luteum, Yellow Azalea or Honeysuckle Azalea is a species of Rhododendron native to southeastern Europe and southwest Asia. In Europe, it occurs from southern Poland and Austria south through the Balkans and east to southern Russia, and in Asia, east to the Caucasus.It is a shrub...
. At higher elevations, it grows among Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
and Vaccinium
Vaccinium
Vaccinium is a genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the plant Family Ericaceae. The fruit of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry or whortleberry, lingonberry or cowberry, and huckleberry...
shrubs or in alpine
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
meadow; here snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
may be as much as 1 metres (3.3 ft) deep.
Description
TuberTuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
is round or round-flattened, usually less than 3 centimetres (1.2 in) across, but occasionally up to 4 centimetres (1.6 in), with roots from the center of the bottom like Cyclamen coum
Cyclamen coum
Cyclamen coum is one of a group of cyclamens with stubby flowers and nearly round leaves. Species of the group are native to areas near the coasts of the eastern Mediterranean and the Black and Caspian Seas, from sea level to alpine tundra.-Etymology:The species name is the adjective of a place name...
. In the wild, the tuber sits 5–20 cm (2–7.9 in) underground.
Leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are wider than long. Leaf color is dark green above and deep red below. Unlike other species, such as the similar Cyclamen coum
Cyclamen coum
Cyclamen coum is one of a group of cyclamens with stubby flowers and nearly round leaves. Species of the group are native to areas near the coasts of the eastern Mediterranean and the Black and Caspian Seas, from sea level to alpine tundra.-Etymology:The species name is the adjective of a place name...
, Cyclamen parviflorum is never variegated with silver.
Flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are fragrant and have five petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s, pink to purple with a dark purple marking on the nose, short and rounded as in Cyclamen coum.
Varieties
Cyclamen parviflorum has two varieties.Cyclamen parviflorum var. parviflorum has petals bent upwards (4-8 mm, - inch long). It inhabits open habitats at higher elevations.
Cyclamen parviflorum var. subalpinum has petals bent outwards, not up (8-11 mm, - inch long), and twisted like the blades of a propeller, similar to Cyclamen alpinum. It inhabits densely shaded areas in lower-elevation woodland.