The new starch was isolated from different Fritillaria TCM (Fritillaria thunbergii Miq., Fritillaria ussurensis Maxim., Fritillaria pallidifloca Schrenk, Fritillaria cirrhosa D.Don and F hupehensis Hsiao et K.C. Hsia), and physicochemical properties such as amylose content, moisture content, ash content, morphology, thermal properties and crystallography were investigated. The starch isolated from different Fritillaria showed significant variation in physicochemical properties. The amylose content of these starches ranged from 21.7% to 30.2%, respectively. The size and shape of starch granules separated from Fritillaria differed significantly. The transition temperatures and enthalpy of gelatinization (Delta H(gel)) were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). F. cirrhosa starch showed the highest Delta H(gel) value (9.18 J/g) and the lowest transition temperature while F hupehensis starch showed the lowest values (5.90 J/g) and the highest transition temperature. All the five Fritillaria starches showed a typical B-type pattern and degree of crystallinity between 43.8% and 52.3%. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.