Tulipa orphanidea

Appearance

''Tulipa orphanidea'' is a bulbous perennial reaching 10–20 cm in height. Bulbs measure 20–47 x 8–22 mm. The stem is glabrous or hairy, and the leaves which vary from 2–7 reach a size of about 20x2 cm, and are green, often with a tinge of red along their edges. The stem bears 1–4 globular to star-shaped flowers with copper-red, rarely yellow and red tepals, arranged in two whorls of three. The tepals bear a black, sometimes yellow, basal blotch interiorly. The outer tepals measure 3–6 × 1–1.8 cm and the inner tepal 3–6 × 1.2–2.1 cm. The six stamens are a dark olive colour, 7–12 mm in length. The chromosome number is 2n = 36, rarely 24 or 48.

Distribution

''Tulipa orphanidea'' is found in the southeast Balkans, Bulgaria, Greece, Aegean Islands, Crete and western Turkey. Its habitat includes black pine forests, fields and roadsides, at altitudes up to 1,700 m.

Habitat

''Tulipa orphanidea'' is found in the southeast Balkans, Bulgaria, Greece, Aegean Islands, Crete and western Turkey. Its habitat includes black pine forests, fields and roadsides, at altitudes up to 1,700 m.''Tulipa orphanidea'' blooms from April to May.