diff --git a/flax/funcs.py b/flax/funcs.py
index 0f4e3b2..cfccd4e 100644
--- a/flax/funcs.py
+++ b/flax/funcs.py
@@ -352,21 +352,23 @@ def iota(x):
     elif type2strn(x) == "mpc":
         return [[mpc(j[0], j[1]) for j in i] for i in iota([x.real, x.imag])]
     else:
-        res = cartesian_product(*(iota(a) for a in x))
-        for e in x:
-            res = split(int(abs(e)) if type2strn(e) == "mpc" else int(e), res)
+        res = cartesian_product(*(iota(i) for i in x))
+        for i in x:
+            res = split(int(abs(i)) if type2strn(i) != "lst" else len(i), res)
         return res[0]
 
 
 def iota1(x):
     """iota1: iota but 1 based"""
     if type2strn(x) in ["int", "dec"]:
-        return [i + 1 for i in range(int(x))]
-
-    res = cartesian_product(*([i + 1 for i in range(int(a))] for a in x))
-    for e in x:
-        res = split(int(e), res)
-    return res[0]
+        return list(range(1, int(x) + 1))
+    elif type2strn(x) == "mpc":
+        return [[mpc(j[0], j[1]) for j in i] for i in iota1([x.real, x.imag])]
+    else:
+        res = cartesian_product(*(iota1(i) for i in x))
+        for i in x:
+            res = split(int(abs(i)) if type2strn(i) != "lst" else len(i), res)
+        return res[0]
 
 
 def iterable(x, digits_=False, range_=False, copy_=False):