Cyclamen (US: /ˈsaɪkləmɛn/ SY-klə-men, UK: /ˈsɪkləmɛn/ SIK-lə-men) is a genus of 23 species of perennials growing from tubers, valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves. Cyclamen species are native from Europe and the Mediterranean region east to Iran, with one species in Somalia.
It was traditionally classified in the family Primulaceae but recently has been reclassified in the family Myrsinaceae.
Cyclamen is Med...
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Cyclamen (US: /ˈsaɪkləmɛn/ SY-klə-men, UK: /ˈsɪkləmɛn/ SIK-lə-men) is a genus of 23 species of perennials growing from tubers, valued for their flowers with upswept petals and variably patterned leaves. Cyclamen species are native from Europe and the Mediterranean region east to Iran, with one species in Somalia.
It was traditionally classified in the family Primulaceae but recently has been reclassified in the family Myrsinaceae.
Cyclamen is Medieval Latin, from earlier Latin cyclamīnos, from Ancient Greek kyklā́mīnos (also kyklāmī́s), probably from kýklos "circle", because of the round tuber. In English, the species of the genus are commonly called by the genus name.
In many languages, cyclamen species are colloquially called by a name like the English sowbread, because they are said to be eaten by pigs: pain de pourceau in French, pan porcino in Italian, varkensbrood in Dutch, pigs' manjū in Japanese.
Sometimes they are called Persian violet or primrose, although they are unrelated...
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