Cyclamen in Gilboa Mountains

Cyclamen persicum is the wild species of Cyclamen from which most of garden varieties of cyclamens are derived. They grow in abundance in the mountains of Middle East. This picture was taken on 3/16/08 on Gilboa Mountain in Israel. Gilboa is the mountain range of Biblical fame, cursed by King David after King Saul's three sons were slain in battle with the Philistines at its slopes, and King Saul himself fell on his sword. The curse was that no rain nor dew shall ever fall on the accursed hills, but after 3 millenia it must have worn thin, because today Gilboa is awash in flowers in spring.