Tulipa albanica Kit Tan & Shuka, 2010

Shuka, Lulëzim, Tan, Kit & Siljak-Yakovlev, Sonja, 2010, Tulipa albanica (Liliaceae), a new species from northeastern Albania, Phytotaxa 10, pp. 17-25 : 19

Tulipa albanica Kit Tan & Shuka , sp. nov. ― Figs. 2–4

Tulipa albanica differt ab T. scardica et T. schrenkii foliis inferioribus valde undulatis et canaliculatis, superioribus apice longe attenuato-rostrato, tepalorum macula basali nigra absente. Ab T. scardica praeterea differt filamentis aureis (nec eburneis vel nigrescentibus), capsulis minoribus, seminibus majoribus.

Type:— ALBANIA (Northeast Albania: UTM 34 T DM 1 and 34 T DM 3). Kukësi district: 6 km from Kolshi village to Surroj, N- and W-facing open stony serpentine slopes of Ahmet Xhindit, in clearings of Quercus pubescens woodland and Buxus sempervirens scrub, 625 m, 42 ° 02’N, 20 ° 20’E, 7 May 2009, flowers yellow to golden-yellow, Shuka 250 (holotype TIR, isotypes C, LD, private herbaria Kit and Shuka).

Paratype:— loc. ibid., flowers scarlet, 7 May 2009, Shuka 251 ( TIR, C, private herbaria Kit and Shuka) .

Perennial herb. Bulb ovoid to ovoid-globose, 1.5–2.5 cm in diameter, not stoloniferous; tunics dark reddish-brown, chartaceous, prolonged into short neck; inner surface densely covered with straight, 2.5–3.5 mm long unicellular hairs. Stem erect, 13–40 cm (including subterranean portion), glabrous, glaucous to greyish-green. Leaves 3–5, alternate, glabrous, glaucous to greyish-green, subacute to mucronulate. Lowermost leaves (at ground level) linear-lanceolate to broadly-lanceolate, patent to erecto-patent, 10–25 × 1–3.5 cm, canaliculate, strongly undulate. Upper cauline leaves much smaller, weakly canaliculate, slightly undulate, ciliate at base, narrowing and long-tapering at apex. Flowers solitary (very rarely 2), large, erect, campanulate, existing in two colour forms, yellow to golden-yellow or carmine-scarlet turning deep reddishmaroon. Perianth segments slightly unequal; outer segments elliptical to obovate, 4–7.3 × 2.3–3.6 cm, obtuse- or rounded-apiculate; inner segments elliptic-oblanceolate to obovate-spathulate, 3.5–7 × 2–4.2 cm, obtuse to subacute. Perianth in red-flowered forms with conspicuous yellow zone or blotch extending one-sixth to onethird the length of a segment, visible outside. Filaments golden-yellow, 7–14(–17) × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous, dilated at base. Anthers burgundy-red to blackish-maroon, oblong, 7–13 × 2–3.5 mm, c. equalling or shorter than filaments; pollen blackish-maroon. Ovary subsessile, light to yellowish-green, 12–23 mm long; stigmas 3, recurved-decurrent, rose-pink, yellow or pale green. Capsule pale brown, ellipsoid, 3–3.5 × 1.5–2 cm, apiculate, shortly stipitate, with distinct transverse veins throughout. Seeds flat, triangular-deltoid, 5.5–6.5 × 4.5–6 mm, greenish-brown, turning dark reddish-brown at maturity. Flowering late April to mid-May; capsules dehiscing by early July.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Tulipa albanica: A: habit. B: flower of yellow form. C: stamens, ovary, stigma of yellow and red-flowered forms. D: capsule and seeds (enlarged). E: bulb. Bar scale 1 cm.

FIGURE 3. Leaves: A: Tulipa albanica, canaliculate and strongly undulate. B: T. scardica, flat, weakly undulate. C: T. schrenkii, flat, not or weakly undulate.

FIGURE 4. Tulipa albanica: metaphase plate (2n = 24) and corresponding karyogram.