The taxa of the genus Salvia L. (Lamiaceae) used in this study were collected from their natural habitats in Turkey. In this paper, the number, size and morphology of somatic chromosomes of 22 Turkish taxa of Salvia, namely S. bracteata Banks and Sol., S. fruticosa Mill., S. huberi Hedge, S. hydrangea DC. ex Benth., S. nemorosa L. and S. pomifera L. (2n = 14), S. adenocaulon P.H. Davis and S. aucheri Benth. subsp. canescens Boiss. and Heldr., (2n = 18), S. argentea L., S. frigida Boiss., S. palestina Benth., S. poculata Nábělek and S. verticillata L. subsp. verticillata (2n = 20), S. atropatana Bunge, S. cassia Sam. ex. Rech. f., S. chrysophylla Stapf, S. cyanescens Boiss. and Balansa, S. indica L. and S. limbata C.A.Mey. (2n = 22), S. multicaulis Vahl (2n = 28), S. virgata Jacq. (2n = 32) and S. verbenaca L. (2n = 60) were investigated. Somatic chromosome numbers ranged from 2n = 14 to 2n = 60. The present results were compared with the previous cytological ones. © 2011 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.