Korolkov’s Tulip, shiny
Status: VU. Endemic to Central Asia, primarily found in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (Western Tien Shan, Pamir-Alai). A rare, highly decorative plant.
Description. Bulb oval, 1.5 - 2.5 cm in diameter, covered with leathery, black sheaths, with hairy-woolly texture inside at the top. Stem 10 - 20 (30) cm tall, glabrous. There are 3 leaves, spaced apart, bluish, strongly curled at the edges, tapering at the top. The flower is solitary, drooping in bud, up to 6 cm tall, bright red, shiny on the inside, with a small black spot at the base. The tepals are usually blunt, the outer ones are broadly elongated rhombic and wavy; the inner ones are inversely triangular-ovate, with a narrow notch at the top. Stamens shorter than the tepals: filaments are black or pink; anthers are yellow. The pistil has a short style, pink. The capsule has a short beak, up to 3 cm long, 1.5 cm in diameter.
Biological features. Flowers in III-IV; fruits in VI-VII, reproduces by seeds.
Distribution general and in the country. Southwestern Tien Shan, Pamir-Alai (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan). In Kyrgyzstan, it is found in the Turkestan Range (northern macroslope).
Habitat. Sandy, gravelly, and stony slopes in the foothills.
Population. No data on population in the wild.
Limiting factors. This highly decorative species is massively harvested by the population for bouquets. Human economic activities: plowing, excessive grazing of livestock.
Cultivation. Grown in botanical gardens in Tashkent (since 1956) and Dushanbe (since 1967).
Existing conservation measures. Included in the Red Books of the Kazakh SSR (1981), Kyrgyz SSR (1985), Tajik SSR (1988). No special conservation measures have been developed.
Recommended conservation measures. Organization of monitoring the status of populations in different parts of the range; botanical reserves in areas with the highest concentration. Prohibit the collection of flowers and bulbs, grazing of livestock until the species has seeded.
Korolkov’s Tulip, shiny
Korolkov’s Tulip
Tulipa korolkowii Regel (T. nitida Th. Hoog)
Status: VU. The species is endemic to West Tien Shan and Alai-Pamirs (with the main area in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) and is a little-known plant that reproduces generatively (by seeds). In Kyrgyzstan, it is distributed on the northern macroslope of the Turkestan Mountain Range and populates metal, sandy, and stony slopes in the piedmont zone. Period of flowering: 2-3 weeks in April. Limiting factors: ploughing and excessive pasturage. The creation of protected areas in localities with concentrated populations, the prohibition of flower and bulb collection, the prohibition of pasturage until the formation of seeds, as well as monitoring in different parts of the area are recommended for the preservation of the species.
