In the complex of taxa commonly called crested wheatgrasses, at least five species can be distinguished according to descriptions by Nevski in the Flora of the U.S.S.R. These are: Agropyron cristatum, A. pectiniforme, A. desertorum, A. michnoi, and A. sibiricum. Of the two commercial forms of A. cristatum, 'Standard' and 'Fairway', the latter is diploid with 2n = 14. From a consideration of its chromosome number and morphological distinctness this taxon is here given specific status with the name Agropyron cristatiforme. Each of the five other species mentioned above is tetraploid with 2n = 28. Karyomorphologically all the species of Agropyron studied here are characterized by chromosomes with median or submedian centromeres and by the lack of any secondary constriction or satellite. A high frequency of multivalents in the pollen mother cells of A. michnoi and A. sibiricum indicates an autoploid derivation of these two species.