Tulipa florenskyi: Red Data Book of Armenia

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

Category. Endangered species. It occurs in one floristic region. The extent of occurrence and the area of occupancy are less than 500 km2. The species faces extremely high risk of extinction caused by excessive collection for bouquets. 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. Perennial herb 10–20 cm. Bulb tunics adpressed–pilose. Scape thin, glabrous. Leaves glaucous, sword–like, usually folded at margins undulate, often reflexed. Flower large, dark red or lemon–yellow; perianth segments of red form with black spot, of yellow ones – with grey spot. Capsule with acuminate rostellum.

Distribution. In Armenia it grows only in Meghri (Agarak, Meghri, Shvanidzor, Karchevan, Nyuvadi) floristic region. EOO is 350 km2, AOO is 40 km2, the number of locations is 4. Besides Armenia the species grows in Nakhichevan, South–West Azerbaidjan and West Iran (Shakhpur).

Ecological, biological and phytocoenological peculiarities. Grows in lower mountain belt, at the altitude of 550–1000 meters above sea level, on dry stony and clay slopes, in shibliak and open arid forests. Flowering from April to May, fruiting from May to June.

Limiting factors. Restricted extent of occurrence and area of occupancy, collection for bouquets.

Conservation actions. No conservation actions. Necessary: monitoring of the population state, establishment of new specially protected nature area in the surroundings of Agarak settlement, introduction into floriculture.