Tulipa praestans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Liliales
Family:	Liliaceae
Subfamily:	Lilioideae
Tribe:	Lilieae
Genus:	Tulipa
Species:	T. praestans
Binomial name
Tulipa praestans C.A.Mey.[1]
Synonyms[2][3]
Tulipa subpraestans Vved.

Tulipa praestans is a species of tulip native to the mountains of Tajikistan.^[2] Many well known cultivars have been formed from the original plant.^[4]

Description

It is a low-growing tulip species,^[5] and has 25–45 cm (10–18 in) tall stems.^[4] It has 3 to 7 grey-green leaves that are downy and fringed with hairs (ciliate).^[4][5] It can have one flower (normally in the wild^[4]) or it can produce multiple flowers per bulb,^[6] meaning it can have a pair of flowers or up to a maximum of five flowers per bulb.^[4] It blooms in April,^[5] with cup shaped flowers.^[5][6] The flowers are 5–6.5 cm (2–3 in) wide, in orange-red,^[4] orange-scarlet,^[5] or scarlet.^[6] The anthers are yellow or purple.^[4]

Taxonomy

The specific epithet praestans, refers to the Latin for 'remarkable',^[7]' pre - eminent, superior, excellent or distinguished'.^[8]

T. praestans was originally described and published by Carl Anton von Meyer in The Gardeners' Chronicle Series 3, Vol.33 on page 239 in 1903.^[3][9]

Distribution and habitat

It is native to temperate areas of Central Asia.^[9][4][10]

Range

It is found in Tajikistan,^[9] in the Pamir-Alay mountain system.^[6][4]

Habitat

It grows on rocky slopes, screes, and in light woodland,^[6] at an altitude of 3,000 m (9,800 ft) above sea level.^[6][5]

Cultivars

The following cultivars represent praestans in cultivation: 'Fuselier' always has

• T. praestans Fuselier;^[11] grows up to 30 cm tall, with grey-green, lance-shaped leaves and stems in mid spring,^[12] bearing between three and five,^[4] cup-shaped, brilliant red,^[12] or bright red flowers,^[13] that can measure to 12 cm across.^[12] It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^[14] It is valued by gardeners for its low growth height and habit of producing many flowers per bulb. 'Fusilier' even has a sport, 'Unicum'.^[15]
• T. praestans 'Unicum',^[16] with the leaves edged in cream.^[15]
• T. praestans 'Moondance',^[17] - has deep orange flowers which are relatively large and have pointy petals.^[10]
• T. praestans 'Zwanenburg' - Anna Pavord in her book The Tulip describes ‘Zwanenburg’ as having “.......particularly striking flowers of a rich, clear red, which open more widely than other varieties”. A taller variety at 35 cm.^[5]
• T. praestans 'Shogun' - blooming in mid- to late spring, has single, cup-shaped, yellow-orange flowers, flushed red at the base.^[18]
• T. praestans 'Tubergen's Variety' - has two to five flowers generally with a basal yellow suffusion and is a good doer, persisting in light soils without annual lifting.^[4]

Toxicity

All parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested. Contact may cause a skin reaction.^[18]

References

Other sources

• Christenhusz, M. J. M. et al. 2013. Tiptoe through the tulips – cultural history, molecular phylogenetics and classification of Tulipa (Liliaceae). Bot. * J. Linn. Soc. 172:319. Note: lists as Tulipa praestans H. B. May
• Czerepanov, S. K. 1995. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR) Cambridge University Press. Note: lists as Tulipa praestans Hoog
• Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage Note: lists as Tulipa praestans Hoog
• Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
• Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening Note: lists as Tulipa praestans Hoog
• Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934–1964. Flora SSSR. Note: lists as Tulipa praestans Hoog
• Walters, S. M. et al., eds. 1986–2000. European garden flora. Note: lists as Tulipa praestans Hoog