Journal of Research in Ecology
Original Research
Autoecological Characteristics of Cyclamen mirabile Hildebr.
(Primulaceae) - an Endemic Species of Turkey
Journal of Research in Ecology
Authors:
Ramazan Mammadov,
Olcay Dusen and
Cennet Ozay
Institution:
Pamukkale University,
Faculty of Science and
Literature, Deparment of
Biology, Denizli, Turkey.
Corresponding author:
Cennet Ozay
Email Id:
Web Address:
http://eologyresearch.info/
documents/EC0035.pdf.
Journal of Research
in Ecology
An International
Scientific Research Journal
An International Scientific Research Journal
ABSTRACT:
The aim of this study was to determine the autecological characteristics of
Cyclamen mirabile Hildebr. (Primulaceae) distributed in the South-West of Anatolia. C.
mirabile is an endemic species recorded in the Flora of Turkey. The soil and plant
samples were collected from Mugla, Isparta and Aydın regions during the vegetative
and generative growth periods between 2006-2010. The physical and chemical
properties of the soil were analyzed. The relationship among potassium, phosphorus
and nitrogen contents of the soils, aerial and under ground parts of the plants in
vegetative and generative periods were statistically examined. The results of this
study shall be used in the future for the cultivation of C. mirabile as an ornamental
plant.
Keywords:
Cyclamen mirabile, endemic, Primulaceae, plant characters, soil characters
Article Citation:
Ramazan Mammadov, Olcay Dusen and Cennet Ozay.
Autoecological Characteristics of Cyclamen mirabile Hildebr. (Primulaceae) – an
Endemic Species of Turkey
Journal of Research in Ecology 2016 4(1) : 001-009
Dates:
Received: 13 October 2015 Accepted: 28 October 2015 Published: 09 January 2016
This article is governed by the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/
licenses/by/4.0), which gives permission for unrestricted use, non-commercial, distribution and
reproduction in all medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
001-009 | JRE | 2016 | Vol 4 | No 1
www.ecologyresearch.info

INTRODUCTION
The genus Cyclamen L. (Primulaceae) is
represented with about 21 species, are Isparta
which
1 10 km to Barla, 850 m.
predominately distributed in Southern Europe, Northern 2
Africa, Western Asia, and around the Mediterranean. In Mugla
Turkey, this genus is represented with 12 taxa, 5 of 3
which are endemic (Davis, 1978; Ekim, 2000; Güner et 4
al., 2012). Cyclamen tubers have toxic saponins in plenty
amounts. Even the tubers have posinous saponin, wild
boars look for to collect and eat them without any post 6
effect (Zeybek and Zeybek, 1994). There are some 7
studies about the chemical composition of several 8
9 Marmaris, North of Icmeler, 42 m.
Cyclamen species which contain some triterpene
10
saponins and glycosides (Altunkeyik et al., 2012; Mihci-
11
Gaidi et al., 2010). Also, analgesic, anti-inflammatory,
Aydın
antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of some 12
Cyclamen species such as Cyclamen repandum, C.
mirabile and Cyclamen graecum have been previously
reported (Speroni et al., 2007; Calis et al., 1997; Metin et
al., 2013).
C. mirabile is one of the endemic species among
5 endemic species in Turkey and classified as
“Endangered (EN)” according to the “Red Data Book of
Turkish Plants” (Ekim et al. 2000). C. mirabile grows
naturally in the south-western part of Turkey, especially
in Muğla, Aydın and Isparta (Davis, 1978).
The aim of this study was to investigate C.
mirabile as phenological and ecological. Therefore, we
determined the element concentrations of aerial and
under ground parts of C. mirabile at different growth
stages and the soil-plant relations of this species.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Specimens of C. mirabile were collected from 13
different localities of South-West Anatolia in vegetative
and generative growth periods between 2006-2010
(Table 1, Fig. 1). C. mirabile specimens were dried
according to the standard herbarium techniques and
preserved in the Pamukkale University Herbarium
002
Mammadov et al., 2016
Table 1. List of localities from where soil and
plant samples were collected
5 km to Senirkent, 800 m.
Yilanli mountain, around the Orman Isletmesi
Fidanligi, 670 m.
Yilanli mountain Orman Isletmesi Fidanligi,
Denizli road, 600 m.
5 North of the Yerkesik village, openings in
Olea europaea, 600 m.
Yerkesik village, openings in Olea europaea,
620 m.
North of Yatagan, 505 m.
Yatagan, around Turgutlar village, 550 m
Marmaris, around Emecik village, 95 m.
Bodrum, around Guvercinlik village, 40 m.
Söke, around Gossypium herbaceum field, 50
m.
13 from Aydın to Çine, 500 m.
(PAMUH) and Muğla University Herbarium (MUH).
The identification of the specimens was done according
to the The Flora of Turkey (Davis, 1978).
Soil and plant samples were collected from the
study areas in vegetative and generative growth periods.
The soil samples were collected from the localities given
in Table 1. The litter on the surface of the soil was
removed, and the soil samples were collected from a
depth of 15-20 cm. About 1 kg of each sample was
placed in polyethylene bags and brought to the
laboratory. Soil and plant samples were dried in the
shadow for physical and chemical analyses. Bouyoucus
hydrometer method, Walkey-Black method, Scheibler
Calcimeter and Beckman pH meter were used for the
determination of texture, organic material, CaCO3 and
pH of the soils, respectively. The amount of elements (N,
K, P, Ca, Na, Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn) were detected
(Allen et al., 1976; Bayraklı, 1987) as in Muğla
Provincial Directorate of Agriculture. Aerial and under
ground parts of the plants were collected at the flowering
stages and cleaned up subsequently. All parts of the
Journal of Research in Ecology (2016) 4(1):001-009
Mammadov et al., 2016
Figure 1. The map of the collection sites of C. mirabile
in South-West Anatolia
Figure 2. Regression analysis graph of soil manganese
and plant nitrogen of above-ground parts in
generative period
Figure 3. Regression analysis graph of soil manganese
and plant nitrogen of above-ground parts in
generative period
Journal of Research in Ecology (2016) 4(1):001-009
plant samples were dried for 48 hours at 70o C in an oven
and then chopped up with a blender for preparing the
analysis. The analysis of soil and plant samples were
done+ according to Kaçar (1984).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Phenological Observations
Phenological observations of this study are as
follows; the leaf development of C. mirabile is in middle
of September, the leaf maturation of this species occurs
at the end of May, flowering time is September-
November depending on the altitude, fruiting time is in
the middle of November, the seed maturation of this
species occurs in the middle of June and the aerial parts
of plant dries in July.
Morphological Observations
Morphological observations of this study are as
follows; tuber height 2.74-4.16 cm (3.26 cm), tuber
diameter 2.86-5.34 cm (3.83 cm), tuber weight 31.85-
88.65 g, (50.86 g), height of the plant 9.25-19 cm (12.71
cm), number of flowers 3-6 (5), number of capsules 2-6
(4), number of seeds in a capsule 12-24 (14.64), weight
of 1000 seeds 6.81-15.92 g (11.81 g) (Table 2).
Physical analysis of the soils
The results of physical analysis from the soil samples
collected from the distrubution area of C. mirabile are
presented in Table 3. According to physical analysis
results, the species generally grows on clay, loam and
clayey-loam soils. It has already been reported by
various researchers that geophyte plants such as
Cyclamen alpinum (Düşen et al., 2013), Crocus
ancyrensis, C. sieheanus, C. chrysanthus, C. flavus
subsp. flavus and C. flavus subsp. dissectus (Şik and
Candan, 2009), Iris histrioides (Kandemir and Engin,
2000), Iris pseudacorus (Engin et al., 1998), and
Asphodelus aestivus (Pirdal, 1989) generally prefer
clayish, loamy, clayish-loamy soils, like C. mirabile.
The pH of the soil samples.
003
 Mammadov et al., 2016

Table 3. Physical analysis of the soils of C. mirabile

0.4422
0.7216

35.62 44.17 56.37 31.85 88.65 50.86 8.2806

12.71 3.2043
1.0377
1.1151

14.64 0.7216

6.81 15.92 11.81 0.7216

S.D.
Loca Saline Calcareous
pH Texture
lities (µg/cm3) (%)
Mea

3.26
3.83
n
1 4.80 255.00 11.10 Loam

5
4
2 4.54 203.00 8.26 Loam
Min. Max.

4.16 3 7.46 334.00 6.39 Clay

5.34

19

24
4 7.14 261.00 5.21 Clay

6
6
5 7.35 601.00 11.71 Clay
2.74
2.86

10.50 13.16 12.83 9.25

6 6.71 520.00 7.43 Clay

12
7 7.43 231.00 8.16 Clayey-Loam
3
2
8 7.91 310.00 7.61 Clayey-Loam

11.64 15.92 12.00

2.83
4.43
13

9 7.70 0.018 19.60 Clay

18
4
3 10 6.80 0.12 16.20 Clay
11 7.50 0.042 2.18 Clay
3.78
3.62
12

19 12 7.13 0.096 1.24 Clay

6
6

13 7.36 0.063 1.56 Clay

Table 2. Morphological parameters of C. mirabile

Min. 4.54 0.042 1.24

11

3.52
4.56

Max. 7.91 601.00 19.60

4
3

Mea
6.91 208.87 8.20
8.14

11.14
2.74
2.86

31.85

n
10

6
4

13

S.D. 1.05 204.09 5.45

2.98
3.70

71.24
11.34

ranged from 4.54 to 7.91. Soil analysis data showed that

6.81
9

17
5
5

C. mirabile preferred moderately alkaline, slightly

36.48 52.46

13.00 10.17

alkaline and neutral soils, like C. alpinum (Düşen et al.,

3.46 4.16
4.10 3.78
8

12.43 19

14
6
5

2013). The concentration of CaCO3 ranged from 1.24 %

to 19.60 %, however the species was collected from the
Min.: Minimum, Max.: Maximum, S.D.: Standard eviation
7

17
3
3

soil containing poor, medium or rich concentration of

3.52
2.91

9.25

8.12
34.66

CaCO3. Similar results were also reported earlier (Şik

6

5
5

12

and Candan, 2009; Düşen et al., 2013). Soil salinity

2.86
2.97

9.60
88.65 32.46

11.14 12.34

values between 0.042-601.0 µg/cm3. We concluded that

5

4
2

14

C. mirabile grows in all kinds of soils according to the

3.62
4.31

17.34

salinity range.
4

24
6
4

Chemical analysis of the soils

3.22
5.34

75.82
16.24

12.41

Chemical analysis of soil samples are

3

19
4
4

given in Table 4. The organic matter content of the soil

2.92
3.92

56.43
13.00

11.00

samples varied from 2.24% to 9.4 % (very rich to poor).

2

19
6
4

It has been observed that C.alpinum (Düşen et al., 2013),

2.87
3.41

45.06
12.42

13.00

prefers soils moderately rich in organic matter. The

1

17
5
5

nitrogen content of soils in vegetative and generative

Number of seeds in a
Tuber diameter (cm)

Height of plant (cm)

Number of capsules
Number of flowers

periods varied between 0.139%-0.913% and 0.017%-

Tuber height (cm)

Tuber weight (g)

Plant parts
Locality /

Weight of 1000

0.902% respectively. These results point out that, C.

mirabile tends to live in rich nitrogenous soils. There
seeds (g)
capsule

have been several studies on the plants which prefer rich

nitrogenous soils, such as C. alpinum (Düşen et al.,

004 Journal of Research in Ecology (2016) 4(1):001-009

Mammadov et al., 2016

Figure 4. Regression analysis graph of soil saline and Figure 7. Regression analysis graph of soil saline and
plant potassium of above-ground parts in generative plant nitrogen of below-ground parts in vegetative
period period

Figure 5. Regression analysis graph of soil sodium and Figure 8. Regression analysis graph of soil pH and
plant nitrogen of below-ground parts in vegetative plant nitrogen of above-ground parts in generative
period period

2013) and I. histroides (Kandemir and Engin, 2000).

Figure 6. Regression analysis graph of soil manganese
and plant nitrogen of below-ground parts in vegetative
period
As given in the Table 4, C.mirabile grows in a
variety of soils with regard to phosphorus availability in
both vegetative and generative time intervals. As given
in Table 4, the potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen
constitutents of the soil at the vegetative period were
found to be higher than in the generative period. This
situation was expected and obtained. Since, in generative
period, this species uptake these elements from the soil
and finishes its development.
Chemical Analysis of the Above and Below Ground
Parts of the Plants

Journal of Research in Ecology (2016) 4(1):001-009 005

006
Table 4. Chemical analysis of the soils of C. mirabile

Amount of Useful Elements

Vegetative Period Generative Period
Localities Organic Mat. Na Ca Mg Fe Cu Zn Mn
(%) N (%) P (ppm) K (ppm) N (%) P (ppm) K (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm)

1 2.78 0.139 0.13 416.00 0.017 0.04 342.00 17.90 7000 271.00 7.22 1.37 0.32 10.00
2 2.93 0.261 0.09 382.00 0.126 0.07 372.00 16.24 7415 302.00 6.34 1.16 0.27 14.27
3 8.70 0.435 0.02 428.00 0.343 0.01 334.00 18.04 12000 157.00 7.62 1.65 0.87 24.20
4 7.43 0.344 0.15 403.00 0.332 0.13 312.00 14.17 10316 186.00 8.19 1.53 0.19 16.18
5 7.68 0.384 0.85 226.00 0.321 0.62 216.00 12.08 12000 163.00 8.98 1.39 0.30 17.34
6 6.83 0.283 0.63 318.00 0.114 0.38 285.00 10.28 11018 204.00 7.63 1.25 0.57 20.19
Chemical analysis of different parts of the plants

7 3.52 0.176 3.87 206.00 0.114 3.46 196.00 6.34 5220 196.00 7.62 1.34 0.87 4.42
8 2.93 0.241 2.34 254.00 0.233 2.17 212.00 8.27 7635 146.00 6.24 1.18 0.93 6.27
9 6.16 0.617 9.46 294.00 0.524 9.16 214.00 9.16 8428 219.00 8.35 1.54 0.61 8.00
10 4.21 0.913 14.19 375.75 0.902 13.43 326.00 7.25 7461 174.00 6.83 1.26 0.94 14.32
11 9.47 0.564 13.29 148.19 0.424 12.16 114.06 8.15 6316 154.00 7.54 1.37 0.74 11.24
12 7.83 0.611 16.17 62.17 0.513 15.24 54.56 9.24 8000 146.00 8.24 1.30 0.61 8.26
13 2.24 0.912 0.36 276.14 0.863 0.22 242.52 8.16 6431 183.00 7.14 1.16 0.83 12.16
Min. 2.24 0.139 0.02 62.17 0.017 0.01 54.56 6.34 5220 146.00 6.34 1.16 0.19 4.42
Max. 9.47 0.913 16.17 428.00 0.902 15.24 372.00 18.04 12000 302.00 8.98 1.65 0.94 24.20
0.452
Mean 5.59 4.73 291.48 0.371 4.39 247.70 11.175 8.403 192.38 7.534 1.34 0.61 12.835

S.D. 2.65 0.256 6.18 111.40 0.275 5.85 93.41 4.101 2.223 47.79 0.794 0.15 0.27 5.688

Min.: Minimum, Max.: Maximum, S.D.: Standard Deviation

Mammadov et al., 2016

Journal of Research in Ecology (2016) 4(1):001-009

 Table 5. Chemical analysis of the aerial and under ground parts of C. mirabile
Mammadov et al., 2016

Aerial parts of C. mirabile Under ground parts of C. mirabile

Vegetative Period Generative Period Vegetative Period Generative Period

Locality
N% P% K% N% P% K% N% P% K% N% P% K%
1 1.624 0.405 2.201 1.516 0.386 1.963 0.683 0.241 1.701 0.719 0.261 0.983
2 1.502 0.316 1.823 1.441 0.235 1.831 0.716 0.083 1.293 1.215 1.415 1.821
3 1.824 0.072 2.812 1.364 0.024 2.962 0.541 0.053 1.286 0.921 0.096 1.361

Journal of Research in Ecology (2016) 4(1):001-009

4 1.383 0.263 2.116 1.145 0.185 1.974 0.912 0.382 0.924 1.213 0.765 1.216
5 1.291 0.371 3.164 1.123 0.316 3.363 0.815 0.094 0.763 1.422 0.147 0.943
6 1.724 0.345 2.862 1.524 0.302 2.152 0.734 0.286 0.901 0.851 0.319 1.244
7 1.513 0.216 2.931 1.187 0.185 2.763 1.372 0.089 2.513 1.676 0.113 2.863
8 1.436 0.314 3.487 1.193 0.255 3.142 0.865 0.138 0.89 1.141 0.204 1.116
9 2.041 0.295 2.834 1.241 0.212 2.163 1.516 0.355 1.231 2.014 0.463 1.364
10 1.213 0.236 2.346 1.124 0.165 1.746 1.423 0.198 0.916 1.735 0.216 1.241
11 1.112 0.305 1.965 1.216 0.243 2.619 0.875 0.186 0.813 1.065 0.243 1.421
12 1.237 0.193 3.012 1.092 0.543 1.854 1.623 0.146 2.118 1.519 0.246 1.386
13 1.469 0.234 2.643 1.316 0.198 1.874 0.835 0.314 1.546 0.968 1.234 1.624
Min. 1.112 0.072 1.823 1.092 0.024 1.746 0.541 0.053 0.763 0.719 0.096 0.943
Max. 2.041 0.405 3.487 1.524 0.543 3.363 1.623 0.382 2.513 2.014 1.415 2.863
Mean 1.49 0.29 2.63 1.27 0.27 2.34 0.99 0.20 1.28 1.25 0.39 1.43
S.D. 0.26 0.06 0.50 0.15 0.10 0.56 0.36 0.11 0.56 0.39 0.37 0.49

007

viz: aerial and underground revealed 1.112-2.041% and
1.092-1.524% nitrogen content in vegetative and
generative periods respectively as given in Table 5. The
phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen concentrations were
within normal limits for each growth period in the
underground parts, whereas in the aerial parts,
concentrations of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen
were higher in vegetative period and lower in the
generative period.
Statistical Analysis
The relationship between phosphorus, potassium
and nitrogen concentration of the soil samples and the
aerial and under ground parts of the plants in vegetative
and generative periods were statistically examined. As a
result of the chemical analysis, the highest positive
correlation (Fig. 2) was determined between soil
phosphorus and plant nitrogen of under ground parts in
the vegetative period (r: 0.5881), while the lowest
positive correlation (Fig. 4) was determined between soil
saline and plant potassium of aerial parts in the
generative period (r: 0.3245). The lowest negative
correlation (Fig. 7) was determined between soil saline
and plant nitrogen of under ground parts in the vegetative
period (r: 0.3272), while the highest negative correlation
(Fig. 5) was determined between soil sodium and plant
nitrogen of under ground parts in the vegetative period
(r: 0.4153). Neither a positive nor a negative correlation
was observed in other analysis of the data.
In conclusion, we investigated the relationship
between plant and soil characters of endemic C. mirabile
in the present study. The results of the investigation
revealed that C. mirabile usually prefer to grow in light
alkali, non-salted, clayey-loamy soils. The obtained
results in this study can be used to cultivate C. mirabile
as an ornamental plant.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors are grateful to the senior biologist Ozgur
Gul for helping in the formation of statistical support.
008
Mammadov et al., 2016
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