Tulipa pirinica
Tulipa pirinica Delip.
Liliaceae – Lily family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(iii,v); C2a(i)]. BDA. Bulgarian endemic.
Morphology and biology. Bulbous perennial. Bulb obovate; tunic dark brown, glabrous on the inner face. Stem up to 20 cm high. Leaves 3–4, narrowly lanceolate. Perianth segments red, with a black basal blotch, unequal; the inner obovate, the outer narrower, lanceolate. Filaments glabrous. Fruit elliptic capsule. Fl. IV–V, fr. V–VI. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds and vegetative means.
Habitats and populations. Grows in dry grassland and shrub openings dominated by Syringa vulgaris and Paluirus spina-christi. Populations are small, with annual fluctuations in their size.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Slavyanka Mt (Pazluka locality near Ilinden village), Pirin Mts (Southern – Sari Padina locality, Lalevo locality below Sveta Elena peak); at 800–1300 m alt.
General distribution. Bulgaria.
Threats. The very limited distribution area of the species; small population size; harvesting of flowers and collection of bulbs for gardening; habitat deterioration caused by mowing, grazing and trampling.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The localities are within a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria. An Action plan for conservation of the species is in a process of elaboration.
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of the population size and area of occupancy; designation of a protected area in Pazluka locality near Ilinden village where other species of conservation concern occur as well; deposition of seeds in the National Seed Genebank in Bulgaria and reintroduction of the species in the native localities where it has already disappeared.
References. Delipavlov 1987; Petrova 1992a; Petrova & Velchev 2006.
Author: Pepa Ignatova
