Cyprus tulip

Tulipa cypria Stapf ex Turrill

Tulipa cypria, the Cyprus tulip, is an erect perennial bulbous herb reaching 15–40 cm in height. It has four glabrous, glaucous leaves, with the two lower ones being larger and lanceolate, and the upper two nearly linear. The plant produces a single terminal flower with a cup-shaped perianth of six free, petaloid segments, dark blood-red in color and marked internally with a black blotch bordered by a yellow zone. It blooms from March to April and produces a capsule as fruit.

Description

Tulipa cypria is a member of the Liliaceae family and is native to Cyprus. The plant features glabrous, glaucous leaves that are alternate, simple, and fleshy. The larger lower leaves measure 10–20 x 2–6 cm and have undulate margins, while the upper leaves are smaller and nearly linear. The showy flower has six petaloid segments, 2.5–9 x 1–3.5 cm, with a dark blood-red coloration and a distinctive black blotch bordered by a yellow zone on the inner surface. The species is known to flower between March and April, and the fruit is a capsule.