49 



CYCLAMEN neapolitaimm. 

 Neapolitan Cyclamen. 



PENTANDRIA MONOGYN1A. 



Nat. ord. Primulaceje. 



C YCLA MEN. Bot. Reg. vol. 1 2. fol. 1013. 



C. neapolitanum ; foliis hysteranthiis cordato-ovatis angulatis crenulatis, corolla' 

 laciniis ovatis obtusis subobliquis ad flexuram basi utrinque unguiculatis, 

 radice rapacea maxima depressa reticulata scabra, fibris undique erumpentibus 

 surculis lateralibus. Tenore Syllog. p. 89. fl. nap. t. 118. 



" This Cyclamen, which would more properly be called 

 autumnale, has long been known to our gardens, and is even 

 wild or naturalised in the county of Kent. It is, however, 

 most abundant in the countries near the Mediterranean, par- 

 ticularly in Italy, south of the Apennines. The name Nea- 

 politanum has been given to it by Professor Tenore, who was 

 the first to distinguish it critically from its congeners, with 

 which it has long been confounded under the names hederaefo- 

 lium or Europaeum, which belong to two very different plants. 



" The root is the largest of the genus : a black, flattened 

 tuber, covered with a rough skin, which may almost be called 

 bark, much cracked in old plants. The leaves vary exceed- 

 ingly on different plants, while they are remarkably con- 

 stant to their shape, however peculiar, on the same indivi- 

 dual— this has not a little contributed to the confusion of 

 species and varieties. They are either ivy-shaped, hastate, 

 heart-shaped, arrow-shaped, or irregularly round-coriaceous, 

 always more or less plaited at the edge, the middle lobe 

 longest, and sometimes very much extended. The flower, 

 however, varies but little ; calyx short, corolla pale pink, 

 rarely white, or deep rose-colour, segments reflex, short, 

 sharp, half twisted, paler than the mouth. The mouth is 

 constantly and well characterised by the ungues of the 

 segments being each raised at the edge, and usually white, 

 while the middle of the same part of each segment is red, 

 somewhat like ribbons. This is best observed by looking 

 into the mouth of the corolla, which then appears like a 

 pentagon of lunate sides, coloured as described. Anthers 

 narrow, sharp, yellow. Flower usually scentless — a sweet- 

 scented variety is sometimes found near Naples. Capsule 

 and seed of the genus. The white autumnal Cyclamen of 



