Revisiting the genus Tulipa (Liliaceae) in Kazakhstan, the country with the richest tulip diversity worldwide Author Kubentayev, Serik A. 0000-0002-0369-0591 Astana Botanical Garden, Astana 010016, Kazakhstan Author Baasanmunkh, Shukherdorj 0000-0003-4224-9376 Department of Biology and Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 51140, Republic of Korea Author Alibekov, Daniyar T. 0000-0003-1555-1430 Astana Botanical Garden, Astana 010016, Kazakhstan Author Tojibaev, Komiljon Sh. 0000-0003-2846-5777 Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Tashkent 100125, Uzbekistan Author Nyamgerel, Nudkhuu 0000-0002-9110-423X Department of Biology and Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 51140, Republic of Korea Author Ivashchenko, Anna A. 0000-0002-8526-4296 Institute of Zoology, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan Author Tsegmed, Zagarjav 0000-0002-6024-4918 Department of Biology and Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 51140, Republic of Korea Author Epiktetov, Vladimir G. 0000-0001-5406-0568 Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan Author Sitpayeva, Gulnara T. 0000-0003-4614-6155 Institute of Botany and Phytointroduction, Almaty 050000, Kazakhstan Author Izbastina, Klara S. 0000-0002-6418-1950 Astana Botanical Garden, Astana 010016, Kazakhstan Author Idrissova, Zhansaya T. 0000-0003-3231-8518 Astana Botanical Garden, Astana 010016, Kazakhstan Author Mukhtubayeva, Saule K. 0000-0001-5921-3113 Astana Botanical Garden, Astana 010016, Kazakhstan Author Abubakirova, Nurganym B. 0000-0002-7503-0955 Astana Botanical Garden, Astana 010016, Kazakhstan Author Gil, Hee-Young 0000-0003-3714-0827 Department of Forest Biodiversity and Herbarium, Korea National Arboretum, Pocheon, Republic of Korea Author Choi, Hyeok Jae 0000-0001-6315-0071 Department of Biology and Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 51140, Republic of Korea text PhytoKeys 2024 2024-12-23 250 95 163 journal article 10.3897/phytokeys.250.136736 Tulipa biebersteiniana Schult. f., Syst. Veg. , ed. 15 bis [Roemer & Schultes] 7: 382 (1829). Fig. 10 Type . Russia • ‘ In hortis et vineis ad fluvium Terek inter Mosdok et Kisljar’, April, Bieberstein (not found). General distribution. Kazakhstan , Krym, North Caucasus, and Transcaucasus ( Kutlunina et al. 2013 ). Distribution in Kazakhstan and habitat. Aktobe, Mugojary, Aral region, Western Upland, Ulytau, Syrt, Tobol-Ishim, Bukeev, Turgay, and Caspian region. Conservation status. The IUCN conservation status of this species requires assessment. It is included in the red book of Kazakhstan (CategoryIII). Phenology. Flowering in March – April; fruiting in May – June. Notes. Tulipa biebersteiniana was described in 1829 by J. H. Schultes from specimens from the North Caucasus (between Mozdok and Kizlyar). The species was named in honor of Russian botanist F. K. Biberstein-Marshall ( Ivashchenko and Belyalov 2019 ). Some taxonomists classified T. biebersteiniana and T. patens as synonyms of the widespread European T. sylvestris subsp. australis ( Christenhusz et al. 2013 ; Everett et al. 2013 ). However, according to Zonneveld (2009) , the difference in genome size between T. biebersteiniana (56.7 pg) and T. sylvestris (62.3 pg) may differentiate T. biebersteiniana . In 2013, Perezhogin (2013) described a new species, T. turgaica Perezhogin , similar to T. biebersteiniana and grows in arid conditions. It was suggested that T. biebersteiniana , should form its own subgenus based on hierarchical cluster analysis of genetic profiles of taxa conducted on Iranian tulips using AFLPs ( Asgari et al. 2020 ). However, this hypothesis requires further investigation. Wilson (2023) included T. biebersteiniana on the list of tulips, which may require reinstatement if evidence confirms their uniqueness. Figure 10. Tulipa biebersteiniana in Kazakhstan A general habits B, C flowers D ovary and stamen E bulb (Photos: A – E by S. Kubentayev).