Tulipa montana explained

Tulipa montana is a species of tulip native to the mountains of Iran and Turkmenistan.^{[1] [2]} With its deep red petals (there is also a yellow morph) it has been proposed as a candidate for the Biblical Rose of Sharon, whose identity is unknown.^[3]

Richard Wilford in his 2006 published book "Tulips" writes "This really is one of the most alluring of the smaller tulip species".^[4]

Description

T. montana is a low-growing perennial bulb,^[5] and it can reach up to 15- tall.^{[6] [7]}

It has glaucous leaves,^[5] then blooms in early spring,^[4] or early summer,^[8] in April,^[6] or as late as July (in America).^[7]

It has cup-shaped flowers,^{[5] [4]} that come in shades of red,^[5] from scarlet,^{[7] [8]} crimson,^[9] to deepest blood-red.^[4] Inside the bloom, it has a greenish-black central blotch and yellow anthers.^{[5] [9]} In the wild, there are also yellow forms.^[9]

Taxonomy

The Latin specific epithet montana refers to mountains or coming from mountains.^[10]

It was first found in Persia in 1826,^[7] and then published and described by John Lindley in The Botanical Register (Botanical Register; Consisting of Coloured Figures of Exotic Plants Cultivated in British Gardens; with their History and Mode of Treatment),^[11] Vol.13 on page 1106 in 1827.^[12]

Distribution and habitat

It is native to temperate Asia and Europe.^[12]

Range

It is found in the mountains of Iran,^[4] and Iraq,^[5] around the Caspian Sea.^[9]

Sources

• Aldén, B., S. Ryman & M. Hjertson Våra kulturväxters namn - ursprung och användning. Formas, Stockholm (Handbook on Swedish cultivated and utility plants, their names and origin). 2009 (Vara kulturvaxt namn)
• Christenhusz, M. J. M. et al. 2013. Tiptoe through the tulips – cultural history, molecular phylogenetics and classification of Tulipa (Liliaceae) Bot. * J. Linn. Soc. 172:317.
• Raamsdonk, L. W. D. van & T. de Vries 1995. Species relationships and taxonomy in Tulipa subg. Tulipa (Liliaceae) Pl. Syst. Evol. 195:37.
• Rechinger, K. H., ed. Flora iranica. 1963- (F Iran)
• Walters, S. M. et al., eds. European garden flora. 1986- (Eur Gard F)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Tulipa montana Lindl. . . 2017 . Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . 26 August 2020 .
2. Tiptoe through the tulips - cultural history, molecular phylogenetics and classification of Tulipa (Liliaceae) . 2013 . Christenhusz . Maarten J. M. . Govaerts . Rafaël . David . John C. . Hall . Tony . Borland . Katherine . Roberts . Penelope S. . Tuomisto . Anne . Buerki . Sven . Chase . Mark W. . Fay . Michael F. . Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society . 172 . 3 . 280–328 . 10.1111/boj.12061 . free .
3. Book: James, Wilma Roberts . 1983 . Gardening with Biblical Plants: Handbook for the Home Gardener . Nelson-Hall . 211–213 . 9780830410095 .
4. Web site: TULIPA MONTANA SEEDS - Plant World Seeds . www.plant-world-seeds.com . 16 April 2020.
5. Web site: Tulipa montana (15) mountain tulip . rhs.org.uk . 16 April 2020.
6. Web site: TULIPA MONTANA . Cotswold Garden Flowers . 16 April 2020.
7. John Marius Wilson (editor)
8. Web site: Species Tulip, Montana Tulip, Mountain Tulip . davesgarden.com . 16 April 2020.
9. Web site: Pacific Bulb Society Tulipa Species Three . www.pacificbulbsociety.org . 16 April 2020.
10. Archibald William Smith
11. Web site: Tulipa montana International Plant Names Index . www.ipni.org . 16 April 2020.
12. Web site: Taxon: Tulipa montana Lindl. . tn-grin.nat.tn . 16 April 2020.