Tulipa splendens
Tulipa splendens Delip.
Liliaceae – Lily family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(i,ii,iii,v); D]. BDA. Bulgarian endemic.
Morphology and biology. Bulbous perennial. Bulb ovate; tunic scales dark brown, hairy on the inner face. Stem up to 25 cm. Leaves 3–4, oblong-ovate to lanceolate. Perianth segments red; the outer with a dark, basal blotch inside, the inner with dark basal blotch edged with yellow and with a clear median yellowish stripe up to the apex. Filaments hairy near the base, yellow, in the middle part dark violet. Fruit an oblong-elliptic, more or less triangular capsule. Fl. V, fr. VII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Grows in forest openings, by fields and cultivated ground in the xerothermic oak forest belt usually on well developed soils. Only one population known with less than 50 mature individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Toundzha Hilly Country (Tetrolika locality near Simeonovo village, Yambol district); at 140 m alt.
General distribution. Bulgaria.
Threats. Very limited distribution area of the species; very small population size; low reproductive capacity; habitat destruction due to intensive agriculture and domestic pollution (waste deposition); harvesting of flowers and collection of bulbs for gardening.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species according to the national Biodiversity Act. The locality is designated as a protected area (Tetrolika Nature Monument).
Conservation measures needed. Monitoring of the only known population; optimization of the size and location of the surrounding arable lands in accordance with the species requirements and sustainability; preventing the waste deposition beside the species locality; effective control of the human activities in the area; elaboration and implementation of an action plan for protection of the only species population; deposition of seeds in the National Seedbank in Bulgaria and reintroduction of individuals back to the locality.
References. Delipavlov 1976, 1984; Petrova 1992a; Velchev 1992.
Author: Pepa Ignatova
