American Journal of Applied Science and Technology
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VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue 07 2025
PAGE NO.
60-66
10.37547/ajast/Volume05Issue07-10
Morphologic Issues of Some Red-Listed Species of
Section Kolpakowskianae (Tulipa, Liliaceae)
Dekhkonov Davron
Namangan state university, Uzbekistan
Received:
31 May 2025;
Accepted:
29 June 2025;
Published:
31 July 2025
Abstract:
The current work demonstrates morphologic characteristics of close and red-listed species of the sect.
Kolpakowskianae based fresh plant specimens. Similar and distinct characters were listed and sixty-nine new
characters will be recommended for the forthcoming issue of “Flora of Uzbekistan”. Also, results of molecular
investigations related to the species was discussed.
Keywords:
Morphologic evaluation, identification, fresh plant specimen, Kolpakowskianae, morphology of tulips,
distinct characters, taxonomic status.
Introduction:
Tulipa L. is one of the ornamental and taxonomically
complex genera of monocots. Morphology of Tulipa is
often obscured and different. In some cases, it is
impossible to verify the original description of a
supposed species from the type specimen, or from
the evidence it supplies to assign its name to other
specimens, alive or preserved, with any degree of
confidence (Hall, 1940). As Elwes wrote in 1879 "It
seems to me very difficult, if not impossible, to
understand the characters and affinities of these
numerous forms, without having seen and compared
these plants in a living state" (Elwes, 1879).
Up to present morphology and taxonomy
(Vvedensky, 1941; 1971; Botschantzeva, 1962;
Pratov, et al., 2006; Zonneveld, 2009; Tojibaev and
Kadirov, 2010; Dekhkonov et al., 2022; Tojibaev, et
al., 2022) of the species of Tulipa L. including the sect.
Kolpakowskianae investigated efficiently. Although,
results of fresh specimen-based morphological
investigations are not enough. Especially, counting
account into occurrence of the investigating species
in similar altitude, habitat and area (Dekhkonov,
2023).
In some cases, high rate of interspecific hybridization
and polymorphism lead to confusion or difficulties in
the taxonomy of the genus. Especially, the species of
the sect. Kolpakowskianae occur in various
geographical and ecological niches (Asatulloev et al.,
2022; Dekhkonov et al., 2023) which led to variability
in morphology. However, color (yellow) of the flower
and slender stem are visually similar.
Currently, ten species of the sect. Kolpakowskianae
distributed in Uzbekistan (Tajibaev, et al., 2022;
Dekhkonov, 2023). The habitats of the species of this
section stretch from the western Tien-Shan and
Pamir-Alai mountains systems in the east side of
study area to the deserts of Kyzylkum in the middle of
the Republic of Uzbekistan. Notably, main part of
species occur in the mountainous regions or foot of
the mountains of the study area except for T.
lehmanniana and T. borszczowii which are mainly
occur in the deserts.
The current contribution presents morphologic
evaluation of close and red-listed (Khasanov, 2019)
species (T. korolkowii, T. intermedia, T. scharipovii,
and T. feganica) of the sect. Kolpakowskianae based
on living specimens and demonstrated similar and
distinct characters of the specimens.
METHODS
Study area. Uzbekistan with 448 900 km2 area (fig. 1)
located in the heart of Central Asia which considered
as a nature imperiled area (Asatulloev, et al., 2023).
Approximately, 12% of total area the area are
mountains and foothills and the rest of the territory is
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plains (Kuchkarov et al. 2018). Main mountainous
regions are situated in the north-eastern (Ugam,
Chatkal, Kurama, Fergana ranges), south-eastern
(Turkestan and Alay), and southern (Hissar,
Zeravshan, Babatag ranges) parts of the country. The
climate is continental. The average summer
temperature is around +40°C, while the average
winter temperature is around −23°C (Baratov, et al.
2002).
Figure 1. Spatial view and Grid map of Uzbekistan
The most hotspot of tulip diversity of the Republic
located in Ferghana valley (Dekhkonov et al., 2021;
Dekhkonov et al., 2023). The valley situated at the
eastern part of the Republic and bordered by Chatkal
range on the northwest side. The eastern side of the
valley gradually decreases in latitude and increases in
altitude (between 41.41 E
–
73.32 N and 40.48 E
–
74.73
N) and includes parts of the Kurama range and it
stretches from the west to the north, bordering
northern Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and mountain
ranges in the Kamchik pass of Uzbekistan.
Field surveys
. Extensive field surveys were conducted
during the tulip growing season from mid-March to
May between 2020 and 2025. The global positioning
system coordinates of the specimens and their
habitats were recorded by Google Earth software. As
a reference datum, the WGS84 geographic
coordinate system was employed.
Species
identification
and
taxonomy
.
The
identification of species was confirmed by consulting
the protologues and relevant literatures (Zonneveld,
2009; Tojibaev et al., 2022). Taxonomic status was
checked by the Plants of the World Online (2023).
Morphological
descriptions
.
According
to
observations of living plant specimens in wild
habitats, changes and additions were made.
Photographs used in the morphologic illustration
were taken with a Canon EOS 4000D and Nikon D7500
digital cameras.
RESULTS
Morphologic evaluation of selected species fulfilled
by use of fresh materials and obtained results
presented as follows.
1. Tulipa korolkowii Regel
Bulb ovoid, 1.5
–
2 cm thick and 2-3 cm long; tunics
tough strong and scaly, coriaceous, black (outer) and
brown (inner); old tunics form prolonged part at the
summit of the bulb (1-2 cm); the apex of the old
(outer) tunics lined with plentiful hairs and sparse at
base; the inner tunic covered with sparse hairs and
the base part is almost glabrous; stem 10
–
20 cm long,
the stem and peduncle glabrous, greenish blue; the
underground part is longer (7x5 cm) or equal (4x4 cm)
to the upper part of the stem; leaves 3, closely set to
more and less widely spaced, glaucous, channeled,
progressively decreasing in size up the stem,
commonly surpassing the flower; lowest leaf linear-
lanceolate or strap-shaped, 0.5
–
1 cm broad, upper
leaf narrowly linear; flower solitary, (red, sometimes
yellow) opens to a neat cup progressing to a wide
star; perianth segments either red, sometimes yellow
or mottled, 1-4.5 cm long, commonly obtuse,
sometimes with a very short pubescent point, with a
small black blotch without a yellow margin (1/10 of
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perianth segment); outer segments rhomboidal
(40x22 mm) or obovate; inner segments (35x17 mm)
obovate to triangular obovate; stamens (12 mm) two-
fifths the length of perianth; filaments (6 mm)
bicolored: the lower half black, the upper red or red-
purple, thick to the base part; anthers (6 mm) yellow,
equal or one half to two-thirds as long as filaments;
pollen commonly yellow; ovary greenish, bottle-like,
one and a half times shorter than the stamens, stigma
sessile, overlapping the ovary, pale yellow; capsule 2-
5 cm long, cylindrical with sloping shoulders ending in
a small snout (fig. 2B).
Figure 2. Overall view of T. intermedia var korolkowoides (A) and T. korolkowii
(B). Photos by D.Dekhkonov
2. Tulipa intermedia Tojibaev & J.de Groot
Bulb ovate, 1.5
–
3.0 cm thick and 2.5-3.0 cm long;
tunics thin coriaceous, darkish brown, sometimes old
tunics black; old and middle-aged tunics form a set of
fibers that protrude to the soil surface; the upper part
of the bulb densely covered with brownish-gold
appressed hairs; the base of the bulb covered
sparsely with short hairs; the middle part glabrous;
stem 6-15 cm tall (peduncle included), smooth; the
underground part (5-10 cm) of the stem longer than
the upper part (2-4 cm); the underground part
covered with a set of prolonged tunic fibers which
protect from the physical interaction of stones and
gravels; occurring in one population, usually, red form
(6 cm) is shorter than yellow form (15 cm); leaves 3,
nearly verticillate, 5
–
7 cm long, 0.5-10 mm wide,
smooth, lanceolate, curled, with undulate margins;
flower solitary; perianth segments yellow, orange or
red (fig. 2A); sometimes at the base small brownish
spots (2-4 mm) in yellow forms and darker-brownish
blotch (2-3 mm) in red forms; acute or with a small
cusp at apex, sometimes obtuse, 1.0
–
1.5 cm wide, 3
cm long; outer segments rhomboidal, with both
surfaces similar, curving inwards (concave) instead of
curving inside; inner segments are curving inwards
(concave) instead of curving inside; stamen 1.0
–
1.3
cm long, half of the perianth; filaments 6
–
7 mm long,
yellow, smooth, from the base with almost parallel
margins, but with a slightly inflated part in the middle;
anthers yellow, almost equal to the filaments; ovary
bottle-like, pale yellow, shorter than stamen; pollen
yellow; in orange form outer perianth forms triangle
separation from inner perianth segments (fig. 3).
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Figure 3. Overall view of T. intermedia. Photo by D.Dekhkonov from the locus-
classicus of the species
3. Tulipa scharipovii Tojibaev
Bulb ovoid, 1.5-
3 сm long and 1.0
-2.5 cm wide, outer
tunics coriaceous, darkish brown, non-prolongated;
looks like that the upper end of tunics cut rectilinear
or brownish woolly hairs can be found visually; old
tunics form some (over 20) defending the bulb layers;
the upper part of the tunic is densely covered with
brownish-yellow long hairs; pubescence level is
intensive on the upper surface of old tunics than
middle-aged and young tunics; the middle part of the
bulb is glabrous; the base of the bulb is covered with
long milky-yellow hairs that are very sparse in old
tunics; the color of the tunic to the inside changes
from dark brown to light brown; stem glabrous 6
–
20
cm long; sometimes upper part of the stem is equal
(5x5 cm) to the underground part or slightly shorter
(8x6 cm); leaves 3, 7
–
10 cm long, glabrous,
lanceolate, nearly verticillate, curled in the living
stage with undulate margins; lowest leaf 0.5
–
1 sm
thick; flower solitary; perianth segments yellow
without spots; outer segments elliptic or prolonged in
the upper part obtuse or emarginated, 2 сm width;
inner segments elliptic in the upper part emarginated
with single hairs, 2 cm width, 2.5 cm long; stamen 9
–
10 mm long, 2
–
2.5 times shorter than perianth;
filaments yellow, glabrous; anthers yellow as long as
filaments; ovary greenish, bottle-like, shorter than
stamen (fig. 4A).
3. Tulipa ferganica Vved.
Bulb ovoid, 1.5
–
3 cm thick and 1.5-3 cm long; tunics
black to brownish, tough coriaceous; the surface of
apex densely covered with long and brownish-yellow
hairs where the hairs are sparsely at the base; old
tunics have more intensive pubescence than
youngers; the middle part of the bulb is glabrous;
stem 10
–
40 cm long, the upper part of stem and
peduncle pubescent; the ratio of upper and
underground part is different; leaves 3, sometimes
4(5), commonly spreading, approximate, rarely
scattered, more or less pubescent, ciliate, crisp,
rather abruptly decreasing in size up the stem; usually
leaves do not surpass the flower but a contrary
situation can be observed; lowest leaf lanceolate or
oblong, 7-20 cm long and 1.5
–
4 cm broad; the upper
leaves 5-17 cm long; flowers solitary, opening to a
wide reflexing star; perianth segments 2.5
–
5 cm long,
yellow, on the outside bluish pink; outer segments
(30x12 mm) violet-tinged outside, oblong to oblong-
rhomboidal, gradually acuminate or acute and
pubescent tip; inner segments (32x12 mm) oblong
with the acuminate top terminating in a slightly
pubescent or naked tip; stamens (12 mm) two or
three times shorter than the perianth; filaments (6
mm) naked, bright yellow; anthers (6 mm) bright
yellow, oblong, broader at the base, equal or slightly
shorter (5x3 mm) than filaments; ovary yellowish-
green, slightly shorter (10 mm) than stamens, with
subsessile stigma; capsule 1.5
–
2 cm broad, 2.5
–
4 cm
long (fig. 4B).
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Figure 3. Overall view of T. shcaripovii from locus-classicus (A)and T. ferganica
(B). Photos by D.Dekhkonov
DISCUSSION
Comparison of morphologic characters of tulips
evaluated using 22 most important features (table 1).
Our morphologic analysis showed resemblance of
morphologic characters of T. korolkowii and T.
intermedia where 16 characters were similar out 22
characters. The difference of between species can
observed in the tunic fibers that protrude to the soil
surface and color, color of blotch and filaments,
position of anthers to filaments and color of ovary.
However bicolored filaments which is in T. korolkowii
(red-black) occur in red form of T. intermedia (yellow-
red or reddish) also.
Table 1
Morphologic characters of the species of sect. Kolpakowskianae
Species
Tulipa
korolkowii
Tulipa
intermedia
Tulipa
ferganica
Tulipa
scharipovii
Characters
Bulb shape
ovoid
ovoid
ovoid
ovoid
Bulb type
coriaceous
coriaceous
coriaceous
coriaceous
Tunic prolongation
no
prolonged
no
no
Tunic color
black
darkish
brown
black
darkish
brown
Pubescence of tunic apex
densely
densely
densely
densely
Pubescence of tunic base
sparse
sparse
sparse
sparse
Peduncle length
short
short
long
long
Peduncle pubescence
glabrous
glabrous
pubescent
glabrous
Stem pubescence
glabrous
glabrous
pubescent
glabrous
Leaves number
3
3
3, 4(5)
3
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Leaves pubescence
glabrous
glabrous
pubescent
glabrous
Flower shape
cup
cup
star
cup
Color perianth
red, yellow
red, yellow
yellow
yellow
Color of blotch
black
brown
no
no
Filaments
bicolored
yellow
yellow
yellow
Filaments pubescence
glabrous
glabrous
glabrous
glabrous
Color of anthers
yellow
yellow
yellow
yellow
Position of anthers to
filaments
long
equal
equal
equal
Color of pollen
yellow
yellow
yellow
yellow
Color of ovary
greenish
yellow
yellowish-
green
greenish
Shape of ovary
bottle-like bottle-like
bottle-like
bottle-like
Position of ovary to
stamen
shorter
shorter
shorter
shorter
Notable, T. ferganica and T. scharipovii visually close,
however color of tunic, pubescence of vegetative
parts and form of flower considered as different
characters. But pubescence of the vegetative parts of
T. ferganica differs the species from T. scharipovii, T.
korolkowii and T. intermedia.
The taxonomy and morphology of the species of
Kolpakowskianae section is very complex. Hall (1940)
stated the section that the species may “not belong
to the same natural group or subgenus”. Many
molecular phylogenetic research results revealed that
representatives of Kolpakowskianae don’
t form a
single clade (Christenhusz 2013; Wilson 2023;
Dekhkonov 2025)
Many research results showed close location of T.
intermedia with T. korolkowii and some authors
synonymized (Wilson 2023) or gave the subspecies
status to T. intermedia (Dekhkonov 2025). Despite of
the species status of these works, the ststus of the
species is accepted in POWO (Plants of the World
Online,
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.or
g:names:77143360-1/general-information).Taking
account into some differences in morphology,
restricted geographic area and habitat (Chap
badlands), the species status of T. intermedia requires
detailed genome investigations.
Despite of close location of T. scharipovii and
T. ferganica in the cp tree (Dekhkonov 2025), the
species have some significant distinct characters. The
habitat of T. scharipovii and T. ferganica is fully
restricted where the first species distributed in saline
loess soils of small and restricted area of Chap
foothills and the latter species mainly grows in stony
slopes of middle mountains belt of Kurama, Ferghana,
Alay and Turkestan ranges. Morphologically T.
scharipovii differs from T. ferganica by the bulb color
and pubescence, pubescence of stem, leaves and
tepals, form of tepal and leaves, anther position than
filaments and shape of ovary. Analyzing of
morphologic and molecular data, we consider T.
scharipovii and T. ferganica as a separate species
completely.
CONCLUSION
Four species of the sect. Kolpakowskianae based on
fresh plant specimens was investigated by the use of
22 most morphologically important characters.
Similar and distinct characters of the selected species
are presented for the easy identification of
investigators. Sixty-nine new characters will be
recommended for the forthcoming issue of “Flo
ra of
Uzbekistan”. The taxonomic status of the species of
the section is very complex which the status of T.
intermedia should be defined by the use of detailed
genome investigations further.
Funding
The author declare that financial support was
received for the research of this article by The
Mohamed bin Zayed species conservation Fund
“Development of conservation strategy for the
endangered Tulipa species distributed in Ferghana
Valley (Central Asia)” (#252535381). It also forms part
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American Journal of Applied Science and Technology (ISSN: 2771-2745)
of the project “Deve
lopment of the Digital Platform of
the Flora of the Ferghana Valley as a ‘Nature
Imperiled Area” (Project No. AL
-9224104319).
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