''Lilium carniolicum'', commonly called golden apple or Carniolan lily, is a

lily ''Lilium'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. M ...

native to the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

, as well as to

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

and northeastern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

(

Veneto it, Veneto (man) it, Veneta (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = ...

Friuli Venezia Giulia (man), it, Friulana (woman), it, Giuliano (man), it, Giuliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_t ...

). The species is named after the historical region of Carniola, comprising parts of modern-day

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, an ...

, where it is most abundant. Its flowers vary in colour from red to yellow, speckled on the bottom with black dots. The colour can vary even among flowers growing in the same locality. In general, yellow is predominant in the southern part of the range. There, the species is sometimes split into the closely related ''

Lilium bosniacum ''Lilium bosniacum'' is a lily native to Bosnia and Herzegovina. It's also known as ''Zlatni Ljiljan'' ( Bosnian for golden lily) and ''Bosanski Ljiljan'' (Bosnian lily). ''L. bosniacum'' has often been lumped and split and lumped again. Some ...

'', '' Lilium albanicum'' and '' Lilium jankae'', but those are usually treated as

varieties Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

of ''Lilium carniolicum''.Ikinci, N., Oberprieler, C. & Güner, A. (2006). On the origin of European lilies: phylogenetic analysis of ''Lilium'' section ''Liriotypus'' (Liliaceae) using sequences of the nuclear ribosomal transcribed spacers. Willdenowia 36: 647-565.

References

carniolicum Flora of Southeastern Europe Flora of the Alps Flora of Austria Biota of the Balkans Carniola Plants described in 1837 {{Liliales-stub