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
Subfamily: Lilioideae
Tribe: Lilieae
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 (58 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 (381 38 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

Bibliography


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