Catagonium nitens

Lin (1984) recognised two subspecies within C. nitens. Catagonium nitens subsp. maritimum (Hook.) Lin occurs in South Africa and is distinguished from C. nitens subsp. nitens by having concave, mucronate leaves and terete foliation. However, Blöcher (2004) found that C. nitens is rendered non-monophyletic by C. nitidum (Hook.f. & Wils.) Broth. in a phylogeny based on nuclear DNA sequences, with individual lineages more closely correlated with geography than defined by current taxa. The traditional placement of Australian C. nitens populations in subsp. nitens is tentatively followed here until taxonomic uncertainty in the C. nitens-C. nitidum group can be resolved. See C. nitens subsp. nitens for full profile.