Abstract
Karyotypic studies were performed on 12 species/ populations of Iranian tulips for the first time. The species/ populations possessed 2n = 2x = 24 chromosome number but varied in details of karyotype including type of chromosomes, karyotype symmetry and number of SAT-chromosomes and differed significantly in total chromatin length as well as length of chromosome arms. A pair of heteromorph chromosomes occurred in T. humilis. The use of karyotypic data in taxonomy of the genus Tulipa L. is discussed.