Tulipa affinis Botschantz., 1961

Tojibaev, Komiljon, Dekhkonov, Davron, Ergashov, Ibrokhimjon, Sun, Hang, Deng, Tao & Yusupov, Ziyoviddin, 2022, The synopsis of the genus Tulipa (Liliaceae) in Uzbekistan, Phytotaxa 573 (2), pp. 163-214 : 173-174

1.7. Tulipa affinis Botschantz. in Bot. Mater. Gerb. Inst. Bot. Zool. Akad. Nauk Uzbeksk. S.S.R. 16: 6. (1961).

Type:— KYRGYZSTAN.Turkestan Range near the village Churbek in juniper belt on fine earth among huge stones, 1956, V.P. Botschantzev 2190 ( holotype TASH000497 ) .

Description:—Bulb elongated-ovoid, 2–4 cm thick; tunic brown or dark brown, thinly subcoriaceous, often slightly prolonged, inside sparsely lined with straight, long, adpressed, golden hairs (more densely at the base and at the top); stem 15–35(–40) cm long, green or glaucous, the upper part of stem and peduncle pubescent; leaves 3(–4– 5), scattered, glaucous, pubescent, ciliate, more or less undulate; lower leaf widely lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate or oblong, 3–5(–6) cm wide, situated above the soil level; upper leaves lanceolate, progressively decreasing in size; flower solitary, scentless, large, cyathiform, widely campanulate or widely cup-shaped, nearly tetrahedral at the base; perigone segments bright red, 5–7(–11) cm long, acuminate, with a pubescent tip; the basal blotch relatively small, black with narrow yellow margin (sometimes without yellow margin), sinuate, dentate or truncate; outer segments oblong to oblong-rhomboidal, slightly longer than the obovate-oblong inner segments; stamens one third to two-fifths the length of perigone; filaments glabrous, black, flattened, triangular, the constricted part below the anthers usually white; anthers black-violet, twice the length of filaments; pollen purple-black; ovary narrow, long, pale green, often purple tinged; stigma large, sessile, cream coloured; capsule oblong, ca. 2 cm broad, 3–6 cm long, with a long (up to 1.2 cm) beak at the apex.

General distribution:—North-western Pamir-Alay ( Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan).

Distribution in Uzbekistan:—I-4 Nuratau district (I-4-a Nuratau region; I-4-b Aktau region; I-4-c Nuratau Relic Mountains), I-5 Kuhistan district (I-5-a North Turkestan region; I-5-b Malguzar region).

Phenology:—Flowering: April–May; fruiting: May–June.

Ecology:—Clayey, stony and gravelly slopes, rock ledges in lower and middle mountain zone, sometimes in foothills, 800–2500 m a.s.l.

Etymology:—In protologue, Z.P. Botschantzeva emphasized the affinity of this species with Tulipa fosteriana .

Note:—The species has been described on plants grown from bulbs collected by Z.P Botschantzeva in Turkestan Range near the village Churbek ( Kyrgyzstan). In Uzbekistan, the main habitats of this tulip are located in the central part of the Nuratau Range ( Beshko et al. 2013, Tojibaev & Beshko 2014). Its taxonomical status is a subject of discussion because the morphological differences between Tulipa affinis and T. fosteriana are very unclear. As noted, Botschantzeva (1961), T. affinis “…distinguishes with a more graceful habit, narrower leaves, and smaller flowers”, and its flower “...differs from all other known species by its unusual shape”. Zonneveld (2009) revealed that T. affinis has a nearly identical amount of nuclear DNA as T. fosteriana , but considered them separate species on morphological grounds etc. However, Christenhusz et al. (2013) treated T. affinis as a synonym of T. fosteriana on the grounds that morphological features noted by Botschantzeva “fit within the natural variability of T. fosteriana ». Our longterm surveys in natural habitats of both species showed that T. affinis has shorter, stocky, and more pubescent stem, narrower, more undulate and more glaucous leaves than T. fosteriana , it differs by its bulb tunics, flower shape, and shape of central blotch. A completely yellow blotch is never observed in T. affinis . Geographical ranges of these two species are separated. According to J.J. de Groot’s communication, T. affinis is shorter and blooms later than T. fosteriana in the same conditions ex-situ. Because of these facts, we consider T. affinis and T. fosteriana as two distinct, but very closely related species. Of course, further molecular genetics, morpho-anatomical and bio-ecological studies are strongly required.

Specimens examined:— UZBEKISTAN: Nuratau district , Nuratau region , Nuratau Range , Koytash Mountains, near the village Shurkundi, 1 August 1934, Botschantzev s.n. ( TASH!) ; Koytash , ridge crest near the Amandara, 5 August 1934, Botschantzev s.n. ( TASH!) ; Koytash Mountains , 2–3 km to south-west from the village Kokbulak, 18 July 1937, Demurina 595 ( TASH!) ; Nuratau Range , Farish district, 7 May 1941, Momotov 168 ( TASH!) ; Nurata district , Koblyati-say, 7 April 1952, Zaprometova s.n. ( TASH!) ; south-west of the village Kok-bulak , 24 April 1956, Zakirov 47 ( TASH!) ; 3 km north of the pass Saurbel , 27 April 1958, Li, Zakirov 176 ( TASH!) ; Nuratau Range , southern slope of Mt. Zargar, 6 April 1979, Pimenov, Kljuykov, Borjaev, Baranova, Vassilieva 102 ( MW) ; Nuratau Range , pass Sentab , 12 May 1984, Petrochenko 84035, 84036 (herbarium of Nuratau Nature Reserve ); Nuratau Nature Reserve , valley Bolosay , 26 April 1992, Beshko 92080, 92081 (herbarium of Nuratau Nature Reserve ); Nuratau Nature Reserve , valley Fuzhaksay , 19 April 1993, Beshko 93013 (herbarium of Nuratau Nature Reserve ); Nuratau Nature Reserve , watershed between Hayatsay and Andygensay, 19 April 1993, Beshko 93070 (herbarium of Nuratau Nature Reserve ); Nuratau Nature Reserve , valley Karysay , Pub, 16 March 1993, Beshko 93031 (herbarium of Nuratau Nature Reserve ); Nuratau Nature Reserve, upper Hayatbashi, northern slopes, 6 May 2005, K. Tojibaev s.n. ( TASH!) ; Nuratau Ridge , Nuratau Nature Reserve , valley Tykchasay , Loloi , 25 April 2007, Beshko 07020, 07021 (herbarium of Nuratau Nature Reserve ); Mts. Koytash, “holy place” above the village Sulukli, 25 April 2012, A. Batoshov s.n. ( TASH!) ; Nuratau reserve , Tykchasay, Parrandas, 1600 m, 7 May 2012, N. Beshko s.n. ( TASH!) ; Navoi Province , Nurata district western end of the range Nuratau, northern slope, Pistalisay, 19 March 2013, Tojibaev, Shomurodov, Beshko, Batoshov s.n. ( TASH!) ; Nuratau Nature Reserve , Madzherum valley, western slope, 937 m, 18 April 2019, N. Beshko s.n. ( TASH!) ; Nuratau Nature Reserve , Gurdara valley, 839 m, 17 March 2019, N. Beshko NB2019001 ( TASH!) ; 2 km east of the pass Saurbel , 1240 m, 6 April 2019, N. Beshko NB2019015 ( TASH!) ; Nuratau Ridge , Nuratau Nature Reserve, Madzherum valley, western slope, 850 m a.s.l., 23 March 2020, N. Beshko NB2020006 ( TASH!) ; Nuratau Ridge , Nuratau Nature Reserve , upper part of Andygen valley, Sukhta, 1630 m, 24 April 2020, N. Beshko NB2020013 ( TASH!) ; Aktau region , Aktau Range, near the village Andak, 1 May 1925, Popov 33,34,35 ( TASH!) ; Karakchatau Range , 2 km south-west of village Kauncha, 7 June 1937, Demurina 451 ( TASH!) ; 3–5 km south-west of village Kul-Safar , 7 June 1937, Demurina 559 ( TASH!) ; Kokchatau Relic Mountains , Kokchatau, 14 April 1938, Granitov, Evstafiev s.n. ( TASH!) ; Nuratau Relic Mountains , between mountains Kaunchi and Pistalitau, Artemisia steppe, 10 June 1934, Botschantzev s.n. ( TASH!) ; Pistalitau , 18August 2013, K. Tojibaev s.n. ( TASH!) ; Kuhistan district , North Turkestan region , Turkistan Range, valley of the river Sanzar, juniper stands, wheat grass-herbaceous community, 11 May 1954, Krasnopolin et al. 931 ( TASH!) ; Zaamin National Park , Uriklisay, 8 May 2014, Hang et al. 17141 ( TASH!) ; Malguzar region , Malguzar Range , foothills of the Malguzar, 1500 m, Dzhityny-kutan, 21 August 1937, Demurina 1205 ( TASH!) ; low mountains, near the village Laylak , 12 April 1954, Krasnopolin et al. ( TASH!) ; near the Tamerlan Gate , 25 April 1957, Adylov 68 ( TASH!) ; north slope of Malguzar Range , Uvalsay, 1300 m, 14 May 2012, Beshko, Azimova s.n. ( TASH!) ; southern slope of the Malguzar Range , upper reaches of Dzhirtangisay, near watershed, near the trigonometric point 2319.4 m, ca. 1–1.5 km east of the highest peak of the ridge, 2 May 2013, Tojibaev, Beshko, Batoshov, Azimova s.n. ( TASH!) ; southern slope, surroundings of the village Shaybek , Bugsay, 29 May 2013, Azimova s.n. ( TASH!) ; Oltovuz , Gizhgilsay, central part of the ridge, 14 June 2013, Azimova s.n. ( TASH!) .

The results of сomparison of populations state before and after 1970 ( Fig. 4 ) showed the reduction of 5 species only, but in increase for T. affinis . According to our observations, the decreasing of T. tubergeniana (up to 60%) and T. fosteriana (up to 40%) populations directly depend on land use and overexploitation in the vicinities of Baysun (Surxondaryo) and Taxtakaracha pass (Zarafshan Range) respectively. Mainly overgrazing causes the reduction of populations of T. lanata , T. carinata and T. ingens . The seemingly growth rate of populations of T. affinis depended on increase of botanical expeditions and investigations in Jizzakh and Navoi regions ( Beshko 2000, Batoshov 2016).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Distribution of the species of Tulipa sect. Lanatae before (A) and after (B) the year 1970.