Bulb oblong-ovoid, little below the soil, 2.5-3 x 1-2 cm, tunics brown or blackish brown, glabrous inside. Stem 2-12 cm above the soil and 3-6 cm below, glabrous. Leaves 2, opposite to subopposite, on the ground, 4-12 x 0.2-0.9 cm, linear-lanceolate, entire, acute, glabrous. Bracts absent. Flower solitary, terminal. Tepals yellow, reddish green lines outside 1.7-3.0 x 0.4-0.8 cm, scarious at the margin. Stamens equal; filaments 8-11 mm, glabrous, anthers 4-5mm. Ovary sessile, 5-6 mm, ellipsoid, style 4-7 mm stigma tru ncate, papillose. Capsule 2.5-3.0 x 0.6-0.8 cm, narrowly ellipsoid, long beaked.

Fl.Per.: May-June

Type: China, Tienshan, Trens Ui Ala Tau, Semenow s.n. (LE).

Distribution: China (Zinjiang), Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan (Chitral).

Grows on the snowline at 3350-3695 m.

Rechinger f. (Fl. Iran. 165: 83. 1990) has cited the following three specimens, all from Chitral, under Tulipa biflora: Stainton 2667, Bowes Lyon 748 and 750 (BM). None of these specimens have filaments hairy at the base, hence these specimens are not Tulipa biflora. Stainton 2667 (BM) and Bowes Lyon 748 (BM) belong to Tulipa heterophylla and Bowes Lyon 750 (BM) belongs to Tulipa heteropetala.