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Distribution & Habitat
Cyclamen africanum grows in scrub and rocky gullies in northern Algeria and Tunisia. It is very closely allied to C. hederifolium, with which it will interbreed. There are diploid (chromosome count 2n=34) and tetraploid (2n=68) forms of C. africanum which are said to differ from each other in that the diploid plant has smaller leaves with different shaped petioles and the flowers are said to be fragrant. The tetraploid plant is sometimes referred to as C. commutatum Schwarz & Lepper, but this distinction is controversial and rarely used since it relies on the chromosome count rather than any visual characteristics. |