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Progenies of natural pentaploid reed canarygrass possessed from 28 to 56 chromosomes. Non‐reduction was presumably a factor in the origin of octoploids. Hexaploids, though less regular meiotically than normal tetraploids, were more regular and fertile than octoploids. Chromosome number was not significantly correlated with leaf width but was correlated with date of anthesis (r = 0.62**). Leaves of euploids tended to be darker green than those of aneuploids. Seeds of hexaploids and octoploids were generally heavier than tetraploid seeds.

Plants of a 28‐chromosome clone of bromegrass were interplanted in a nursery of 56‐chromosome Bromus inermis. Progeny of the tetraploid clone included tetraploid, hexaploid and octoploid plants. The tetraploids were regular in meiosis, the hexaploids very irregular and the two octoploids fairly regular. The meiotic data supported the hypothesis that Bromus inermisis autoploid for two basic genomes.