Cyclamen 2009

[DaveM]

A few more cyclamen from SW/southern Turkey - in fact all 4 spring-flowering species seen during my recent trip end February, beginning March.

Firstly, Cyclamen coum and C, pseudibericum from the northern part of the Nur mountains, NE of Osmaniye. both species were growing together in Quercus woodland at the same locality as Crocus adanensis. Altitude just over 900m. Cyclamen coum also growing in great numbers at lower levels.

[DaveM]

Cyclamen persicum: seen in their thousands at Yilanli Kale (Snake Castle), east of Adana. It never ceases to amaze me that these plants like to grow in the dissolution hollows and joint crevices in the limestone. Not much room you would think in which to grow their tubers to any size.

[DaveM]

And last, but definitely not least, Cyclamen alpinum.
We saw this at two localities. The first around a ruined Genoese fort at Gedelme in the upper part of the Kemer valley, SW of Antalya. Beneath a venerable Plane tree and in the crevices of the fort there are thousands of C alpinum. This is also the locality to see abundant Galanthus peshmenii in the autumn. The second locality was on the north-facing screes at Alvan Golu, near Elmali; indeed on the more stable parts of the scree where we saw Crocus baytopiorum. The propeller-like flowers are so wonderful.......

[Gerdk]

What a Cyclamen- dream. Just extraordinary!

Gerd

[Tony Willis]

Great pictures and wonderful plants.A delight to see.

[Paul T]

Beautiful.  The pics of alpinum in particular are just wonderful, but the wild persicums are pretty special too!!  So much more elegant than the persicums we see here.

[Oron Peri]

Dave

Wonderfull photos, just wakens up the urge to travel....
You must have driven very long distances in order to see the four species.
Thanks for showing them.

[I.S.]

From Osmaniye untill Elmalı, that is quite long distance. But for person who has love with these small beauties, just like unforgatable dream!

[DaveM]

Thanks, I did enjoy seeing these in their natural habitats. Both Cyclamen coum and C alpinum were much more variable in colour than I have shown, but I do so like the dark colour forms.

Oron, during the 2 weeks we travelled about 4000 km! Arrived Adana, went east to Osmaniye and almost to Gaziantep: then west to Tarsus, north to Pozanti; then back to the coast at Side via Konya, Alanya, NW to Korkuteli, Elmali, Finike and departed from Antalya!! It was definitely worth it despite the indifferent weather.

I may have misled folk by implying in one of my posts that there are only 4 spring-flowering Cyclamen in Turkey. Not true of course, because in addition to the four I showed, there's also the later spring flowering C intaminatum - but that occurs only in the NE in part of the Pontics - and we really would have had to travel a verrrrrry long way to see that 

[Tony Willis]

Dave you were correct first time,intaminatum is an autumn flowering one.

its in such an awkward place that you need to go specifically to see it. Nothing much else to see there in the autumn

[DaveM]

Sorry, Tony, I had a complete mental aberration!! I actually meant to write C parviflorum which flowers from April onwards 

[Paul T]

Howdy All,

Cyclamen mirabile is also flowering for me at the moment.

[I.S.]

What about 'Cyclamen rependum Sm. var. rhodense   Meikle' (Endemic to Turkey)
I see this one also in Turkish flora.

[Tony Willis]

What about 'Cyclamen rependum Sm. var. rhodense   Meikle' (Endemic to Turkey)
I see this one also in Turkish flora.

Ibrahim

Grey Wilson says this sub species is restricted to Rhodes and Cos. I am not doubting that it grows in Turkey but am wondering if you have a location?

It would not be surprising to find it on the mainland given how short the distance is.

[Maggi Young]

we've had good weather for three days.... but this Cyclamen pseudibericum has been out for months in all weathers....