Cyclamen parviflorum

Cyclamen parviflorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Primulaceae
Genus:	Cyclamen
Binomial name
Cyclamen parviflorum Pobed.

Cyclamen parviflorum, the small-flowered cyclamen 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.

Cyclamen parviflorum is native to alpine tundra and subalpine woodland and meadow at 1,200–2,400 m (3,900–7,900 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 metre (3.3 ft) deep.

Tuber 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 centimetres (2–8 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.

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Wikipedia