The genus name Cheiridopsis was derived from the Greek words cheiris, meaning sheath, and opsis, which means resembling. This refers to the thin white papery leaf sheaths which cover the next pair of leaves. The sheaths are formed from the previous years leaves that have withered away during the dormant resting period. Only a third of the species belonging to the Cheiridopsis genus form leaf sheaths so it is not a distinguishing characteristic. Whats more is that cultivated specimens may not form sheaths at all and Cheiridopsis is such a variable genus that no obvious feature is found in all species. The Cheiridopsis genus is placed in the Aizoaceae family and in the past more than 100 species were recognized, but nowadays it has been reduced to about 33 species. Cheiridopsis species are known to be floriferous and many species have beautiful flowers that are scented and open around midday and close at sunset. Cheiridopsis are mostly indigenous succulent mesembs that have a distribution range from Luderitz, in Namibia, southwards through the Richtersveld and Namaqualand in the Northern Cape Province to the northern parts of the Western Cape Province of South Africa where it is found growing among Conophytum, Dinteranthus, Fenestraria, Lithops, Titanopsis, Antimima, Cephalophyllum and Astridia, Aloinopsis, Argyroderma, Monilaria, Oophytum, Dactylopsis, to name but a few. They do very well in pots and windowsill succulent gardens.

Cheiridopsis derenbergiana is South African endemic species from the Northern Cape Province. It is synonymously known as Cheiridopsis albiflora, Cheiridopsis altitecta, Cheiridopsis ampliata, Cheiridopsis angustipetala, Cheiridopsis citrina, Cheiridopsis compressa, Cheiridopsis eburnea, Cheiridopsis inaequalis, Cheiridopsis macrocalyx, Cheiridopsis quadrifolia and Cheiridopsis subaequalis. It has a tufted habit. During winter it bears yellow or purple flowers. This little one is well suited to being grown in a pot. It requires little water in winter and a dry summer.