Cyclamen coum

Cyclamen coum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Myrsinaceae
Genus:	Cyclamen
Subgenus:	Gyrophoebe
Series:	Pubipedia
Binomial name
Cyclamen coum Mill.

Cyclamen coum is one of a group of cyclamens (Cyclamen subgenus Gyrophoebe series Pubipedia) 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. It more likely refers to Koa or Quwê (an ancient region in eastern Cilicia, now part of Armenia and southeastern Turkey), which is part of the species' natural range, than to Kos (an island in the Dodecanese archipelago south of Greece), where the species does not grow.^[1]

Distribution

Cyclamen coum is native to two areas. The main range is around the Black Sea, from Bulgaria through northern Turkey to the Caucasus and Crimea, and a disjunct population lies near the Mediterranean from the Hatay Province in Turkey through Lebanon to northern Israel.

Cyclamen coum subsp. coum inhabits the western part of the main range and the southern area and Cyclamen coum subsp. caucasicum inhabits the eastern part of the main range, including the Caucasus. Plants with characters intermediate between the two subspecies are found in the middle.

Cyclamen elegans, formerly considered a subspecies of Cyclamen coum, inhabits the Elburz or Alborz Mountains of Iran.

Cyclamen parviflorum is found in the Pontus Mountains, in the middle of the range of Cyclamen coum, but mostly at higher elevations.

Cyclamen alpinum is native to southwest Turkey, far from the range of Cyclamen coum.

Description

The tuber produces roots from the center of the bottom only.^[2] It remains small, only reaching about 6.5 cm (2.6 in) across.

Leaves are round or kidney-shaped to long heart-shaped. The color is all-silver, all-green, or silver variegated with a variably sized green hastate (arrowhead-shaped) or "Christmas tree" pattern and a green edge. The edge is smooth or gently toothed, but never angled and pointed as in Cyclamen hederifolium.

closeup of flower

Flowers are squat, with almost round petals, unlike any other group of cyclamen species. They bloom from winter to spring. The petals are magenta, pink, or white, with a darker blotch at the base. Below the blotch is a small white or pink "eye".

Cultivation

Cyclamen coum self-seeds and grows more slowly than Cyclamen hederifolium and is usually out-competed when the two are grown together.

Hardiness

Along with Cyclamen hederifolium and purpurascens, Cyclamen coum is one of the hardiest cyclamen species, growing well in an area of New York where the temperature has reached as low as −19 °F (−28 °C).

Subspecies and forms

There are two subspecies and three forms, distinguished by leaf and flower characteristics. Cyclamen elegans was formerly considered a subspecies (Cyclamen coum subsp. elegans), but is now a species in its own right.

• leaf as wide or broader than long
  • Cyclamen coum subsp. coum (west and south) — leaf edge usually smooth, petal lobes 0.8–1.4 cm (0.3–0.6 in)
    • Cyclamen coum subsp. coum f. coum — petals pink to magenta, with dark markings at base of petal lobe
    • Cyclamen coum subsp. coum f. pallidum — petals white or very pale pink, with dark markings
    • Cyclamen coum subsp. coum f. albissimum — petals pure white, without markings
• leaf longer than wide
  • Cyclamen coum subsp. caucasicum (east) — leaf wavy-edged — petals 1.2–2 cm (0.5–0.8 in)

• 

  Cyclamen coum subsp. coum f. pallidum (white flowers with dark markings)

• 

  Cyclamen coum subsp. coum f. albissimum 'Lake Effect' (white flowers with no dark markings)

• 

  Cyclamen coum subsp. caucasicum

Similar species

The Cyclamen coum group also includes Cyclamen abchasicum, Cyclamen elegans, Cyclamen alpinum, Cyclamen parviflorum and Cyclamen pseudibericum.

• leaves wider than long
  • Cyclamen parviflorum

    flowers tiny; leaves green

• leaves longer than wide; leaf edge coarsely toothed, scalloped, or shallowly lobed
  • petals as long as Cyclamen coum
    • Cyclamen alpinum (formerly Cyclamen trochopteranthum)

      petals horizontal, twisted like a propeller; leaves speckled with grey

  • petals longer than Cyclamen coum
    • Cyclamen elegans (formerly Cyclamen coum subsp. elegans)
    • Cyclamen pseudibericum

      petals with broad dark blotch and white band on nose

• 

  Cyclamen parviflorum var. subalpinum

• 

  Cyclamen alpinum

• 

  Cyclamen elegans

• 

  Cyclamen pseudibericum

Hybrid

Cyclamen ×drydenii Grey-Wilson, a hybrid Cyclamen coum × Cyclamen alpinum, has intermediate characteristics, i.e., round leaves and horizontal twisted petals.

References

1. ^ Cyclamen coum subsp. coum Pink Silverleaf at Paghat's Garden
2. ^ Bulb Log 31, 30th July 2008 (photos of a tuber). Scottish Rock Garden Club.

External links

• Cyclamen Society
• Pacific Bulb Society
• Botany Photo of the Day — University of British Columbia Botanical Garden
• Germplasm Resources Information Network
• PlantFiles
• photos — Flickr search