Tulipa humilis

Tulipa humilis is a refined small species with rosy-pink flowers
held open on sunny days in water lily formation, revealing a
small yellow center and yellow anthers. It is one of the earliest
species to bloom.  The individual with the deep red-rose flower
is surely one of the many named color forms of this species,
the bulbs probably mixed up in the autumn bulb bins.

This species is from Iran and Kurdistan, and is at the center
of a group of related species, aucheriana, violacea, and pulchella, 
all within the Saxatiles section of the genus. Some botanists
lump these names together under T. humilis, although based on
the latest taxonomy that I'm aware of, each is regarded as valid.
Another member of this section is Tulipa bakeri. 

Photo by Mark McDonough

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