524 



CYCLAMEN. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



CYCLAMEN. 



times, both day and night, admitting air 

 at back and front — and in fine weather 

 draw the Hghts off, remembering that the 

 plants are hardy, and are soon injured if 

 kept too close. They do not like frequent 

 removal. There is a pretty white varietv 

 of C. Colon. Syn. C. Jiyciiialc. 



Cjxlamen Coum. 



C. cyprium.— This well-defined species 

 has rather small heart-shaped leaves of 

 dark green, marbled on the upper surface 

 with bluish gray and of a deep purple 

 beneath. The flowers, which are pure 

 white, tinted with soft lilac (the restricted 

 mouth beino spotted with carmine-purple), 

 are well elevated above the foliage. This 

 distinguishes it from most of its allies, 

 except C. pc7-sicuin, and its foliage distin- 

 guishes it from that at a glance. It is one 

 of the most chaste and beautiful of the 

 hardy kinds. Cyprus and other places in 

 South Europe. It is found on shaded 

 rocks in mountainous districts. Syn. C. 

 neapolitanum. 



C. europaeum {Eiiropeati Cyclameii).— 

 The leaves of this species appear before 

 and with the flowers, and remain during 

 the greater part of the year. Flowers 

 from June to November, or, with slight 

 protection, until the end of the year. 

 The flowers are a reddish purple. Some 

 of the southern varieties, by attention to 

 cultivation under glass, may even assume 

 a perpetual flowering character. C. Chisi, 

 littorale, and Peakeanuiii are varieties of 

 this section. The flowers are much 

 longer, and of a more delicate colour, 

 often approaching peach colour, and are 

 almost the size of those of C. fiersiciim ; 

 pure white are rare, but pale ones are not 

 uncommon : they are very fragrant. C. 

 eitj'opauin thrives freely m various parts 

 of the country in light, loamy, well- 

 drained soil, as a choice border and rock- 

 garden plant. Where it does badly in 

 ordinary soil it should be tried in a deep 

 bed of light loam, mingled with pieces 

 of broken stone. In all cases it is best to 

 cover the ground with Cocoa fibre. It is 

 very desirable on account of its fragrance 

 and long succession of flowers. It 



lu.xuriates in the debris of old walls and 

 on the mountain side, with a very sparing 

 quantity of vegetable earth to grow in. 

 The bulb varies considerably in size and 

 shape ; sometimes it is elongated and 

 irregular, and the plant is then the C. 

 anenio7ioides of old authors. Syn. C. 

 odoratimi^ C. (rstiviivi. 



C. hederaefolium {Ivy-leaved Cyda- 

 meii). — Switzerland, South Europe, and 

 the north coast of Africa. Tuber not 

 unfrequently i ft. in diameter, and 

 covered with a brownish rough rind, 

 which cracks irregularly so as to form 

 ttle scales. The root-fibres emerge from 

 the whole of the upper surface of the 

 tuber, but principally from the rim ; few 

 or none issue fi'om the lower surface. The 

 leaves and flowers generally spring direct 

 from the tuber without any stem (there is 

 sometimes, however, a small stem, especi- 

 ally if the tuber be planted deep) ; at first 

 they spread horizontally, but ultimately 

 become erect. The leaves are variously 

 marked ; the greater portion appear after 

 the flowers, and continue in great beauty 

 the whole winter and early spring, when, 

 if well grown, they are one of the greatest 

 ornaments of borders and rock-gardens. 

 Often these leaves are 6 in. long, 5^ in 

 diameter, and 100 to 150 spring from one 

 tuber. They are admirable for table 

 decoration during winter. The flowers 

 continue from the end of August until 

 October, and are purplish red, frequently 

 with a stripe of lighter colour. There is 

 a pure-white variety, and also a white one 

 with pink base or mouth of corolla ; these 

 reproduce themselves tolerably true from 

 seed. Strong tubers will produce 200 

 to 300 flowers. Some are delightfully 

 fragrant. They are quite hardy, but are 

 worthy of a little protection to preserve 

 the late blooms, which often continue to 

 spring up till the end of the year. This 

 species is so perfectly hardy as to make it 

 very desirable for the rock-garden and 

 the open borders. It will grow in almost 

 any soil and situation, though best in a 

 well-drained rich border or rock-garden, 

 which it well deserves. It does not like 

 frequent removal. It has been naturalised 

 on the mossy floor of a thin wood, on very 

 sandy poor soil, and may be naturalised 

 almost everywhere. It would be pecu- 

 liarly attractive in a semi-wild state in 

 pleasure-grounds and by wood walks. 



C. ibericum {Iberian Cyciaine?t).— 

 Belongs to the Coum section. There is 

 some obscurity respecting the authority 

 for the species and its native country. 

 The leaves are very various. It flowers 

 in spring, the flowers varying from deep 



