Stomatal cell length was examined in four closely related taxa of sect. Phleum in the genus Phleum (P. nodosum, P. pratense and in two cytotypes of P. commutatum). It was found that the polyploid taxa (P. pratense, 2n = 6x = 42 and P. commutatum, 2n = 4x = 28) have longer stomatal cells than their diploid relatives (P. nodosum, 2n = 2x = 14 and P. commutatum, 2n = 2x = 14). In these two pairs of taxa, stomatal cell length can be a rapid and useful indirect ploidy level indicator and can assist in their identification. Material taken from live and dried specimens of a given taxon did not differ in stomatal cell length, meaning that different cytotypes can be identified from herbarium material as well.