Tetradenia kaokoensis was discovered while surveying succulent cremnophytes in South Africa and Namibia as part of a larger study of succulent plants associated with cliff faces in southern Africa. The genus Tetradenia is endemic to Africa (4 species) and Madagascar (3 species). It was revised by Codd (1983, 1984) in Bothalia: the southern African species were treated in the Flora of southern Africa by Codd (1985). All members of the genus are semisucculent, drought-resistant, deciduous shrubs.