Cyclamen persicum var. persicum f. roseum

Description

Flowers appear from autumn to late spring, in the wild from October to January (var. autumnale), dependent on the start of the autumn rains, or December to May (var. persicum), from white to deep carmine with a darker pink, magenta or purple area all around the mouth of the corolla but a wild pure white (forma albidum) is known, very fragrant. Corolla lobes reflexed, 20-45mm long, 7-20mm wide, with pointed tips and highly twisted, sometimes more than 360 degrees, no auricles at the base. Unusually among cyclamen, after fertilisation the flower stalk bends back toward the ground at the base of the plant rather than coiling from the top as in most species.

Leaves appear as soon as there is regular water, well developed by flowering time, arising straight up from the tuber, broadly oval, fleshy with thickened edges and teeth, extremely variably patterned in shades of green, grey or silver on a green ground, underside purplish, 2-19cm long, 2-15cm wide.

 

Tuber

Tuber a compressed sphere, large when mature, up to 15cm diameter, brown, becoming rough with age, thick (2mm) diameter roots arise all over the base.

Cyclamen persicum - Cyclamen Society

Cyclamen persicum has a dark-brown tuberous root which is semi-poisonous. In some cultures, the tubers were used in making soap, as they generate a lather when mixed with water. The Bedouins of Mandate Palestine used to collect the root, and after grating it, would mix it with lime and sprinkle it over the surface of lakes or other large bodies of water known to contain fish. These poisonous mixtures would stun fish, which would then come to the surface and be collected by the fishermen. Such methods, as well as fishing with explosives, which came into use in the early 20th century, were banned by the British Mandate authorities.

Cyclamen persicum - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia