Abstract: Fritillary is a precious Chinese medicinal herb. Those native to Xinjiang Northwest China, are even more distinguished from other sources for their purity and effectiveness. Fritillaria in Xinjiang comprises 8 native species and one (F. thunbergii Miq.) introduced from Zhejiang, East China. In this paper the authors describe the karyotypes of 6 species native to Xinjiang and F. thunbergii Miq., of which five, i.e.F. olgae Vved., F. walujewii Regel, F. yuminensis X. Z. Duan, F. karelinii (Fisch.) Baker and F. thunbergii Miq. were studied for the first time. Detail observation and measurment of chromosomes in each of them were made. The data obtained may be summarized as follows: scietific name karyotype formula (2n=) F. pallidiflora Schrenk 2m + 2sm + 6st + 14t F. olgae Vved. 4m + 6st + 14t F. walujewii Regel 2m + 2sm + 8st+ 12t F. yuminensis X. Z. Duan 4m + 8st + 12t F. verticillata Willd 4m + 8st + 12t F. karelinii (Fisch.) Baker 4m + 4sm + 4st + 12t F. thunbergii Miq. 2m + 2sm + 4st + 16t The karyotype of the native species are, on the whole, similar to each other except that of F. karelinii (Fisch.) Baker, a species inhabiting desert areas. The number of m-sm chromosomes has increased from 2 to 4 and the number of st-t chromosomes decreased correspondently. So is the karyotype of F. thunbergii Miq. which is noted for its high ratio of long chromosome/short chromosome and the more t-chromosomes. These two peculiar karyotypes coincide amazingly with their specific natural habitats.

Key words: Fritillaria pallidiflora, F.olgae, Fwalujewii, F. yuminensis, F. verticillata, F. karelinii, F. thunbergii, karyotype