Cyclame-repandum_20

Description:

Cyclamen repandum S. S.Spring Sowbread, CR: primorska ciklama, DE: Geschweiftblttriges AlpenveilchenSlo.: primorska ciklamaDat.: April 23. 2015Lat.: 45.08013 Long.: 14.43675Code: Bot_866/2015_DSC5873Habitat: light predominantly broad leaved forest with many bushes; slightly inclined to the west, calcareous ground; in shade and half shade, dry place; elevation 80 m (260 feet), average precipitations ~ 1.100 mm/year, average temperature 13 -15 deg C, submediterranean phytogeographical region. Place: South of village Brzac, left of the dirt road leading to sea shore from the village; island Krk, Kvarner bay, Croatia EC.Comments: The most frequent flower of north Adriatic islands in April (at least of those, which have some forests) is Cyclamen repandum. It appears massively on some places, where the ground of light forests is literally covered by them. But the plant doesn't grow exclusively in forests but also on woodland borders as well as on road sides and other sometimes very stony and open places. In Slovenia one cannot find it. It is replaced by actually quite similar Cyclamen europaeum, (syn.: Cyclamen purpurascens) which contrary to Cyclamen repandum blooms in late summer and early autumn. Both have quite different shape of their leaves, so distinguishing is not a problem. Cyclamen europaeum is also a wide spread and common forest flower, but it never develops so dense and extensive stands as Cyclamen repandum. However, it has very nice smells while her Mediterranean sister is far behind it in this gift. Ref.:(1) R. Domac, Flora Hrvatske, Prirunik za odreivanje bilja, kolska Knjiga, Zgreb, II. izdanje (2002), p 255.(2) M. Blamey, C. Grey-Wilson, Wild Flowers of the Mediterranean, A & C Black, London (2005), p 169.(3) P. Schnfeld, I.Schnfeld , Was blht am Mittelmeer? Kosmos Natur-Klassiker (2000), p 169.(4) D. Seidel, Blumen am Mittelmeer, BLV (2002), p 145.