A new allopolyploid species ofCelosia, namely,C. whiteii, collected in Malaya and originating from a natural cross betweenC. argenteaL. (2n = 72) andC. cristataL. (2n = 36), has been described and the somatic chromosome number determined as 2n = 108. A somatic chromosome number of 2n = 18 has been determined for another species ofCelosia, namely,C. trigynaL. The basic chromosome number for the genus has been determined as nine. Of the four species ofCelosiaso far studied cytologically, each represents a different level of ploidy, from diploid (2x) to dodecaploid (12x).