Over the years there have been sporadic reports of unusual cystic lesions of the jaws, not readily classified under conventional headings but which have been variously diagnosed as median‐mandibular. glandular, sialo‐odontogenic or botryoid odontogenic cyst. We present five cases which do not fit into other categories of odontogenic cyst, two of which have recurred within a few years of conservative treatment. This paper aims to alert clinicians to the propensity for regrowth of these cysts, proposes the termpolymorphous odontogenic cystfor these lesions, to encompass their varied histological appearances and discusses their distinction from other cyst types with mucous and papillary formations in epithel