Distribution de Cyclamen repandum Sibth. & Sm. subsp. repandum et écologie en Corse et France continentale

Abstract

To fully understand the causes of differentiation between closely related species it is necessary to determine whether their distribution areas are geographically separated and if their habitats are similar or not. Within the genus Cyclamen, the subgenus Psilanthum is composed of three very closely related species, two of which are present in France. In this paper, we precise the distribution area of C.repandum Sibth. & Sm. subsp. repandum in the western Mediterranean Basin and its ecology on Corsica and in mainland France. The distribution areas of C repandum Sibth. & Sm. and C. balearicum Willk. do not overlap; they are separated by 200 km. Therefore, hybridisation which can occur between both species in cultivation, cannot occur under natural conditions. C. repandum Sibth. & Sm. is only known in one site in mainland France, in Provence, but it is frequent on Corsica. This species grows under a Mediterranean climate, from sea level up to 1100 (-1300) m high, over a large range of rainfall and temperature, and with a large diversity of plant species being dominant in the vegetation of the sites. This species generally occurs on or adjacent to north facing slopes, mostly under an important cover of woody plants which offer shade. It is indifferent to the nature of the substrate. Its ecology shows numerous points in common with those of the sister-species C. balea- ricum Willk., except for some edaphic characteristics, since C. balearicum Willk. only grows within a narrow range of pH, basic or neutral.