Tulipa albanica

Tulipa albanica is a flowering plant in the tulip genus, family Liliaceae that is native to Albania.[1][2][3] It was discovered near the village of Surroj in Albania in 2010.[1] The plant is a critically endangered (CR) as it grows in an area smaller than 100 ha, surrounded by mining activities.

Tulipa albanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Tulipa
Subgenus: Tulipa subg. Tulipa
Species:
T. albanica
Binomial name
Tulipa albanica
= Kit Tan & Shuka

Related species include Tulipa scardica and Tulipa schrenkii. T. albanica bears morphological similarities to both species, as well as growing in a similar environment, but can be distinguished genetically as well as by T. albanica's undulating leaf shape.[4]

Description

Tulipa albanica is a bulbous perennial reaching 15–40 cm (6–16 in) in height. The bulb is ovoid to ovoid-globose and 1.5 to 2.5 cm (5⁄8 to 1 in) in diameter. The stem is erect, glabrous, glaucous to greyish-green and the leaves, which vary from 3–5, reach a size of about 10–25 cm (4–10 in) long by 1–3.5 cm (3⁄8–1 3⁄8 in), and are glaucous to greyish-green. They grow alternately along the stem and the lowermost ones have strongly undulated edges.[4]

The stem bears a solitary large, erect, campanulate flower. It can be found in two colour: yellow to golden-yellow or carmine-scarlet to deep reddish-brown. The chromosome number is 2n = 2x = 24.[4]

Conservation

The Institute for Environmental Policy, a local NGO is carrying out monitoring and conservation actions, with the aim to propagate the plant to other locations in the region of Kukës, and secure its survival.[5]

References
  1. Wheeler 2011.
  2. Shuka, Tan & Siljak-Yakovlev 2010, p. 19.
  3. Christenhusz et al. 2013.
  4. Shuka, Tan & Siljak-Yakovlev 2010.
  5. "Conservation and propagation of the Albanian tulip". Institute for Environmental Policy. IEP. Retrieved 5 May 2020.

Bibliography
  • Shuka, Lulëzim; Tan, Kit; Siljak-Yakovlev, Sonja (2010). "Tulipa albanica (Liliaceae), a new species from northeastern Albania" (PDF). Phytotaxa. 10: 17–25.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Wheeler, Quentin (6 Aug 2011). "New to Nature No 49: Tulipa albanica". The Guardian.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Christenhusz, M.J.M.; Govaerts, R.; David, J.C.; Hall, T.; Borland, K.; Roberts, P.S.; Tuomisto, A.; Buerki, S.; Chase, M.W.; Fay, M.F. (2013). "Tiptoe through the tulips - cultural history, molecular phylogenetics and classification of Tulipa (Liliaceae)". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 172: 280–328. doi:10.1111/boj.12061.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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