AbstractExamination of fruit‐size and shape in the circumpolarC. glareosacomplex shows that there is continuous variation between the long, fusiform fruits ofC. glareosaWahlenb. and the short, broad fruits of plants which are commonly referred either toC. marinaDewey orC. glareosavar.amphigenaFernald. It is suggested that Fernald's varietal treatment is the more appropriate.C. glareosaappears only to occur in two areas: Fennoscandia and adjacent northwest European Russia, and eastern Canada and southwest Greenland. Possible explanations of the pronounced fruit variation within the complex are considere