With the exception of the more distinct Bruce's Green-pigeon (Treron waalia), the green-pigeons of African mainland and islands form a closely related group, within which species limits have been much debated. Present species of mainland Africa has often been considered conspecific with Madagascar Green-pigeon (Treron australis) of Madagascar. However, based on differences in cere colour and on geographical separation of forms, it seems most appropriate to consider present species as forming a superspecies with Madagascar Green-pigeon (Treron australis), Pemba Green-pigeon (Treron pembaensis) and Sao Tome Green-pigeon (Treron sanctithomae). Subspecies delalandii has sometimes been considered a separate species, but intergrades with other subspecies occur. Present species rather variable. Further study will probably reduce the number of valid subspecies.
The following 19 subspecies are recognised:
nudirostris (Swainson, 1837) - Senegal, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
sharpei (Reichenow, 1902) - Sierra Leone to southern Nigeria and northern Cameroon.
calvus (Temminck, 1808) - Eastern Nigeria (R Cross) east to north-eastern Zaire (Ituri region) and south to central Angola; Príncipe I.
damarensis (Reichenow, 1901) - North-eastern Namibia and north-western Botswana.
delalandii (Bonaparte, 1854) - Coast from Kenya (Mombasa) to South Africa (eastern Cape Province). Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Grey-breasted Green-pigeon (Treron delalandii).
virescens Amadon, 1953 - Principe Island (Gulf of Guinea).
gibberifrons (Madarász, 1915) - South-eastern South Sudan south to the Lake Victoria Basin in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, western Kenya, and north-western Tanzania.