It is a tuberous perennial growing to 10 cm (4 in), with mottled, heart-shaped leaves and pink flowers, darker carmine pink at the base, appearing in spring.

Like all cyclamens, the flowers consist of five upswept, reflexed petals.

rhodium is white or pale pink with a pink nose and grows in shaded woodland and shrubland on the islands of Rhodes and Kos.

peloponnesiacum J. Compton & Culham is pink with a deep carmine-pink mouth and grows in shaded woodland in the Taygetus Mountains in the southern Peloponnese and near Mt.

vividum J. Compton & Culham is deep carmine-magenta and grows in sunny areas on the southeastern coast of the Peloponnese.