Tulipa tetraphylla Regel

Tulipa tetraphylla Regel, Trudy Imp. S. Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 3: 296 (1875). Fig. 41 Type. Kyrgyzstan • Turkestaniae in valle Kotschkura, Kaulbars, Baro (holotype LE, not located). General distribution. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China (Xinjiang) (POWO 2024). Distribution in Kazakhstan and habitat. Ketmen Terskey Alatau, and Trans-Ili Kungey Alatau. This species grows on stony slopes, and steppe areas in the lower and middle zones of the mountains. Conservation status. Tulipa tetraphylla is a least concern species at the global level (IUCN 2024). Phenology. Flowering in April – May; fruiting in June – July. Note. Tulipa tetraphylla was described by E. L. Regel in 1875 from collections from Central Tian Shan (Kochkur River basin, Kyrgyzstan). Spontaneous hybrids with T. kolpakowskiana have also been reported (Ivashchenko and Belyalov 2019; Vvedensky 1935). Tulipa tetraphylla is often found in its autotetraploid form (Wilson 2023), although it also has a diploid form (Botschantzeva 1962). The new species T. toktogulica B. D. Wilson & Lazkov from Jalal-Abad province was described in 2022. It is morphologically similar to T. tetraphylla but differs by fewer leaves (3 leaves) and weakly fragrant flowers.