Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : The flower is upside down, doubly reflexed, giving it a unique appearance.

Grows in short grassland in woods and scrub. Can be an escaped garden plant.

The rhizomes and tubers contain a bitter-tasting poisonous monodesmosidic triterpenoid saponin called cyclamin which is an irritant and toxic substance capable of being absorbed through the skin. Poisoning is rare because the poisonous parts are below ground level and the bitter taste forewarns and inhibits ingestion. It can cause paralysis, and even death. Cyclamin is both fungitoxic and cytotoxic. It is also poisonous to fish, and has been used as a fish poison. The five sugar units it contains are shown in blue. Notice the aldehyde group, CHO, that it contains (constituting another active moiety). It exhibits a very high haemolytic index. Like all saponins, they interfere with the permeability of cell membranes, and as such are cytotoxic. The aglycone (meaning 'without the sugars') of Cyclamin is Cyclamiritin A, shown.

Three saponins, one being isocyclamin, and five sapogenins have been identified in species of Cyclamen. Another triterpenoid saponin, Coumoside A, is found specifically in Eastern Sowbread.

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