Perennial herb to about 30 cm; bulb densely hairy inside. Stem hairy. Leaves 2-4, glaucous, hairless, margins flat, ciliate, not red. Inflorescence up to 12 flowered, buds erect. Flowers cup- to star-shaped, unpleasantly scented; late winter to spring.Tepals to 3.5 x 3 cm, white, pink outside, basally yellow or orange; blotch yellow to orange. Stamen filaments hairy, yellow; anthers yellow and purple-tipped or purple to brown; pollen yellow.
Very closely related to T. biflora.
T. aucheriana Baker from Iran, to about 20 cm; bulb with basal and apical hairs inside. Stem hairless. Leaves 2-5, glaucous, hairless, margins flat, not red. Inflorescence usually 1 flowered, bud erect. Flowers star-shaped; late spring.Tepals to 5 x 2 cm, pink, basally yellow; blotch yellow. Stamen filaments hairy, yellow; anthers yellow; pollen yellow.
T. biflora Pall. from Asia Minor to Russia, to about 10 cm; bulb dense hairy inside. Stem hairless. Leaves 2, glaucous, hairless, margins flat, ciliate, not red. Inflorescence usually 1-5 flowered, buds erect. Flowers cup- to star-shaped, scented; late winter to spring. Tepals to 3.5 x 3 cm, white, pink outside, basally yellow; blotch yellow. Stamen filaments hairy, yellow; anthers yellow, dark-tipped; pollen yellow. Syn. T. polychroma Stapf.
T. gesneriana L., Garden Tulip, of uncertain origin, thought to be SW or C Asia, to about 60 cm; bulb smooth inside or very sparse hairy at the apex. Stem hairless to downy. Leaves 2-7, green, hairless, margin ciliate, not red. Inflorescence 1 flowered, bud erect. Flowers cup-shaped opening to star-shaped; spring.Tepals to 8 x 5 cm, tips reflexed, red, orange yellow or purple; blotch dark purple or yellow, sometimes with a white to cream margin. Stamen filaments smooth, yellow or purple; anthers black or yellow; pollen purple or yellow. A highly variable species and parent of many of the commercial hybrid tulips.
T. humilis Herb. from Asia Minor, to about 20 cm; bulb sparsely hairy at the base and apex inside. Stem hairless. Leaves 2-5, basal, glaucous, hairless, margin flat, not red. Inflorescence 1-3 flowered, buds erect. Flowers cup-shaped opening to starshaped; late winter to spring.Tepals to 5 x 2 cm, pink to magenta, basally yellow; blotch yellow, olive or black, often white or yellow-margined. Stamen filaments hairy, yellow; anthers yellow; pollen yellow. Syn. T. pulchella (Regel) Bak. 'Violacea' has flowers deep violet with a yellow centre
T. tarda Stapf., C Asia to about 15 cm; bulb smooth inside or very sparsely hairy at the base and apex. Stem hairless. Leaves 2-7, shiny green, hairless, margin ciliate, not red. Inflorescence 4-15 flowered, buds erect. Flowers star-shaped opening to star-shaped; spring. Tepals to 4 x 2 cm, white or greenish, basally yellow, reddish outside; blotch yellow. Stamen filaments hairy, yellow; anthers yellow; pollen yellow.
C Asia to NW China.
Source: (2005). Liliaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.