water-lily tulip
Tulipa kaufmanniana Regel
Tulipa kaufmanniana Regel is a species in the Liliaceae family, known as the water-lily tulip. It is native to southeastern Europe, northern Asia, and several Central Asian countries including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The species was first described in 1877 and is notable for its ornamental value in horticulture. It flowers from March to May and fruits from May to August, depending on elevation. It grows in a variety of habitats, including clayey and stony slopes, rock ledges, and river valleys, at elevations between 500 and 2500 meters above sea level.
Description
Tulipa kaufmanniana Regel is characterized by a bulb that varies in shape, commonly ovoid, with a blackish-brown to golden-brown tunic. The stem is 20–30 cm long, often purple-tinged, and the leaves are glaucous and not curled. The solitary flower is widely campanulate or star-shaped, with a strong variation in color including red, orange, yellow, and white. The species is named after K. P. von Kaufman, a Russian military leader and Governor-General of Turkestan. Some populations, particularly from Kazakhstan, have been proposed as a separate species, Tulipa berkariensis, based on morphological and genetic differences.
Other common names
water-lily tulip
Distribution
SE · NO · Kazakhstan · Kirgizstan · Tadzhikistan · Uzbekistan
Synonyms
Tulipa berkariensisTulipa kaufmanniana unranked aureaTulipa kaufmanniana unranked coccinea
