Tulipa confusa: Red Data Book of Armenia

EN B 1 ab(i,ii,iii,iv) + 2 ab(i,ii,iii,iv)

Category. Endangered species. The extent of occurrence is less than 5000 km2, the area of occupancy is less than 500 km2. In the first edition of the Red Data Book of Armenia it was included under Category 1: Endangered species. It is not included in the Annexes of CITES and that of the Bern Convention.

Description. Bulb broadly ovate, up to 30 mm in diameter; tunics blackish–grayish–brown or dark brown, from inside silvery pilose. Flower very large saucer–shaped, fuchsine–pink or lemon–yellow, rarely red. Capsule 4–6 x 2 cm.

Distribution. In Armenia it grows in Zangezur (Kadjaran, mountain Khustup, "Shikahogh" State Reserve, Tsav, Nerkin Hand) and Meghri (Gyumarants, Meghri range) floristic regions. EOO is 600 km2, AOO is 44 km2, the number of locations is 5. The species grows in South Transcaucasia and Karabagh.

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows from middle to sub–alpine belt, at the altitude of 1800–2700 meters above sea level, in the glades, in stony places, in oak–hornbeam forests, on relatively moist slopes, in the sub–alpine meadows. Flowering from March to April, fruiting from May to July. This is a mesophilous species. Three forms are met in the wild: with yellow–lemon flowers, fuchsine–pink with slight odor of lemon and red odorless. The species always flowers two weeks later than Tulipa sosnovskyi species which grows in the same areas.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, loss/degradation of habitats caused by land development, collection for bouquets.

Conservation actions. Part of the population is conserved in "Shikahogh" State Reserve. Necessary: monitoring of the population state.