Tulipa goulimyi
The red tulip of Goulimis (Tulipa goulimyi) is extremely rare in Crete, as the only confirmed population is limited to a very small area of the peninsula Gramvousa, around Falassarna. The population of Crete has shrunk too much, mainly because of the cultivation and tourism. Other less endangered populations are found on Kythera, Antikythera and South Peloponnese.
The tulip, which gets its name from the Greek botanist Constantine Goulimis, grows on limestone grounds, in places where there is not much vegetation, and always close to the sea level. It looks like the red tulip of Gious Kambos, but it’s leafs are corrugated, produce fruits and the bulb is hairy.
The red tulip of Gramvousa has been listed in the Greek Red Book of Species as endangered. Unfortunately,, unlike the red tulip of Gious Kambos, which is favored by cultivation, the tulip of Goulimis is destroyed by ground plowing.
