Gluon Mass, Glueballs and Gluonic Mesons

We review the phenomenological and theoretical evidences for dynamical gluon mass generation and the main features of the glueball spectrum in (pure gauge) Yang-Mills theories. The mixing between glueball and conventional $\bar q q$ states in $f_0$ scalar mesons is discussed. For pseudoscalar mesons, the inclusion of the glue field in an effective low energy theory is presented leading to a third isoscalar $\eta''$ partner of the $\eta$ and $\eta'$. Branching ratios for processes involving $\eta''$ are given and, when available, compatible with data for $\eta(1405)$.