A tulip species believed to have disappeared from the wild more than a century ago has been rediscovered in Amasya, northern Türkiye, offering a significant breakthrough for botanical research and conservation efforts.
Known as the "Lost Amasya Tulip," the flower was spotted by local nature enthusiast Ercan Eftelioğlu while exploring a rural area of the province.
Eftelioğlu noticed an unusual tulip species and photographed it before sharing samples and images with botanists for identification.
The discovery prompted a field investigation by Ismail Eker of Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University and Salih Sercan Kanoğlu, director of the Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanical Garden in Istanbul. After examining the plant in its natural habitat, the experts confirmed that it was the long-lost Amasya Tulip, a species that had been listed in scientific literature as missing.
According to Eker, the tulip was first collected in 1892 and was last documented in 1896.
