Tulipa uniflora (L.) Besser ex Baker, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 14: 295 (1874)

Kubentayev, Serik A., Baasanmunkh, Shukherdorj, Alibekov, Daniyar T., Tojibaev, Komiljon Sh., Nyamgerel, Nudkhuu, Ivashchenko, Anna A., Tsegmed, Zagarjav, Epiktetov, Vladimir G., Sitpayeva, Gulnara T., Izbastina, Klara S., Idrissova, Zhansaya T., Mukhtubayeva, Saule K., Abubakirova, Nurganym B., Gil, Hee-Young & Choi, Hyeok Jae, 2024, Revisiting the genus Tulipa (Liliaceae) in Kazakhstan, the country with the richest tulip diversity worldwide, PhytoKeys 250, pp. 95-163 : 95-163

Tulipa uniflora (L.) Besser ex Baker, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 14: 295 (1874) .

Fig. 45

Type.

Russia • “ In Siberiae montis Sini Sopka ”, E. Laxmann ( LE; isoneotype K-000844631 ) [neotype designated by Levichev, 1997] .

General distribution.

China (Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang), Kazakhstan, Russia (Altay, Chita, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Tuva), and Mongolia ( Baasanmunkh et al. 2022).

Distribution in Kazakhstan and habitat.

Altai, Tarbagatay, and Zaysan. This species grows in sandy places, gravelly slopes, and as shrubs from desert foothills to the upper belt of mountains.

Conservation status.

Tulipa uniflora is a near threatened species at the global level ( IUCN 2024); it is included in the Red Book of Kazakhstan (Category III).

Phenology.

Flowering in April – May; fruiting June – July.

Notes.

This species was first described by Linnaeus in 1767 as Ornithogalum uniflorum L. from specimens collected from the Altai Mountains. Don (1836) described the new genus Orithyia D. Don. from specimens of Ornithogalum uniflorum . It was not until 1874 that Ch. Bassey assigned this species to Tulipa . Tulipa uniflora is similar to T. heteropetala ; their differences are outlined in the description of T. heteropetala above.

Figures

Figure 45. Tulipa uniflora in Kazakhstan A general habits B flowers. (Photos: A, B by Sh. Baasanmunkh).