Originating from the Middle East, the Cyclamen persicum naturally grows in countries such as Palestine, Syria, Israel, Greece, Turkey, Tunisia and Mediterranean islands. Its name is transcribed from the Greek word kuklaminos, derived from kuklos, meaning "circle": it refers to the round and flattened shape of its tuber. In antiquity, the cyclamen was recognised for its therapeutic virtues, due to the presence of cyclamine, a bitter substance with purgative powers. It is a basic remedy in homoeopathy for depression, hidden sorrows, It was introduced in Europe at the end 16th century, beginning of the 17th. Somewhat neglected in the following century, the cyclamen became fashionable again in France in the 1900s when gardeners cultivated it in Grenelle, near Paris. Today, new cultivation methods and new varieties soffer longer-lasting, hardier and more regular flowering and a wide range of colours.