Tulips Flashcards
How did the name “tulip” come about?
Derived from the Persian word “dulband” which means “turban” (flower kinda looks like a little turban I guess?).
How long do tulips take to grow from seed? How are they more commonly grown? How long does this take?
Take 8 years to grow from seed. More commonly grown by separating their “offsets” (bulblets) and growing these (essentially cloning), which only takes 1-2 years.
What are 2 methods for varying tulip colour?
- Somaclonal variation
2. Tulip breaking virus
What is the vector for tulip breaking virus? What is noteworthy about the first drawings of their effects?
Carried by peach/potato aphids to tulip plants, results in crazy colour variation. 17th century paintings were the first time a viral disease has been illustrated.
What was the Turkish (Ottoman) name for the tulip? Why was this significant?
“Lale”, a homonym for Allah. Had religious implication.
What is Selim II (Sultan of the Ottoman empire) known for regarding tulips?
Ordering that 50,000 be planted in the gardens of Topkapi palace in Constantinople (Istanbul).
What is Ahmet III (Sultan of the Ottoman Empire) known for regarding tulips?
Hosted tulip festivals (raunchy). Later overthrown and imprisoned in the “Golden cages” of the palace. Gave tulips a bad reputation in the Empire, led religious figures to reject them.
What 2 societal elements were at odds in 17th century Holland?
- Young capitalism
2. Protestant religion
Why did people speculate on the Dutch stock market?
Essentially an IOU with an opportunity to make free money, what’s not to love?
What did the banning of the Sinter Klaus parade in 1663 cause?
The only known riot of 11 year olds in history (lol).
What term was used by the Dutch to describe trading in shares which had been paid for in IOUs and then losing that borrowed money?
“Windhandel” (trading in the wind).
How were tulips first brought to Amsterdam? How did they spread throughout Holland?
Brought by famous botanist Clusius to keep in his botanical garden, but stolen and multiplied throughout the country by professional gardeners.
How come the tulip trade developed into a growing market in Holland but not elsewhere in Europe?
The Dutch were super rich and had money to burn.
What are the base pigments of tulips? What colours can sometimes mask these? What are these masking pigments called?
Base colouring was white or yellow, masked by red or purple pigments known as anthocyanins.
What was the most highly desirable tulip variety at the time of “Tulipmania” in Holland?
“Augustus Semper” which could be worth as much as a house in Amsterdam at the time.
