cyclamen, (genus Cyclamen), genus of more than 20 species of flowering perennial herbs of the primrose family (Primulaceae) that are native to the Middle East and southern and central Europe. The florist’s cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), the best-known species, is notable as an indoor plant cultivated for its attractive white to pink to deep red flowers. A number of other species, including ivy-leaved cyclamen (C. hederifolium), are grown outside.
The plants grow from a tuber (a short underground stem) and have no stem above the ground. Long-stalked roundish or kidney-shaped leaves, often variously marked, grow from the base. Solitary flowers grow on stalks less than 30 cm (12 inches) tall. After flowering, the flower stalk often twists into a spiral, so bringing the capsular fruit close to the ground.