''Cyclamen africanum'' is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

in the family

Primulaceae The Primulaceae , commonly known as the primrose family (but not related to the evening primrose family), are a family of herbaceous and woody flowering plants including some favourite garden plants and wildflowers. Most are perennial though som ...

. It is referred to by the common name African cyclamen and is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

growing from a

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure used as storage organs for nutrients in some plants. They are used for the plant's perennation (survival of the winter or dry months), to provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growin ...

, native to northern

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , religi ...

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria ...

and

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

. It is similar to ''

Cyclamen hederifolium ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', the ivy-leaved cyclamen or sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. This widespread cyclamen species is widely cultivated and among the most hardy and vigorous in oceanic climates. It is na ...

'', but not frost-

hardy Hardy may refer to: People * Hardy (surname) * Hardy (given name) * Hardy (singer), American singer-songwriter Places Antarctica * Mount Hardy, Enderby Land * Hardy Cove, Greenwich Island * Hardy Rocks, Biscoe Islands Australia * Hardy, South ...

Description

The

produces

root In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...

s from the top, sides, and bottom, unlike ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', which produces roots from the top and sides, but not the bottom. Both the leaves and

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism ...

s are similar to ''Cyclamen hederifolium'', but are larger on average. Leaf and flower stalks extend straight up from the tuber; in ''Cyclamen hederifolium'' the leaf stalks extend outwards before bending up, forming an "elbow". ''Cyclamen africanum'' crosses easily with ''Cyclamen hederifolium''. Plants sold by nurseries are often hybrids between the two species (''Cyclamen'' ×''hildebrandii'' O. Schwarz). This robust hybrid is more hardy than ''Cyclamen africanum'' and can be planted outside in a sheltered place.

References

External links

Cyclamen SocietyPacific Bulb SocietyCyclamen: a guide for gardeners, horticulturists, and botanists
by C. Grey-Wilson — Google Books *

(photos of tuber)

— Mark Griffiths
photos
—

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africanum This list of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names is intended to help those unfamiliar with classical languages to understand and remember the scientific names of organisms. The binomial nomenclature used for animals and plan ...

Taxa named by George François Reuter Taxa named by Pierre Edmond Boissier Flora of Algeria Flora of Morocco Flora of Tunisia