Kalanchoe waterbergensis is a sparingly branched, short-lived, leaf succulent up to 500 mm tall when in flower. The flowering branch dies after flowering. The roots are fibrous. The branches are cylindrical (terete), about 4 mm in diameter and grey-green. The leaves pointing upwards (ascending), in opposite pairs (decussate), initially crowded at the base; the basal leaves overlapping and both pairs almost oriented on one plane (sub-distichous). The leaves are 45-50 × 26-28 mm, the leaf blade flat, broadly egg shaped (ovate to obovate),the base of the leaves wedge shaped (cuneate) with a little ear-like appendage (auriculate)at the base. The surface is pale greyish to purplish green, due to a powdery bloom, and beset with minute purplish dots. The leaf margin yellowish and entire. The leaf tip tapers to a point (acute to subacute) ending in a little point (mucronate). The inflorescence is ascending, up to about 450 mm high, branched, flat-topped to rounded, the leaves becoming smaller and narrower upwards. The calyx lobes, are linear triangular, 4-7 × 1 mm. The corolla is orange-red urn shaped, the floral tube bulging at the base for 7-8 mm then tubular for 6-7 mm long, on ascending pedicles 3-10 mm long. The floral lobes are spear-shaped (lanceolate) becoming horizontally spreading, 5-6 × 2.5 mm long, the lobe tips ending in a sharp point. The 8 anthers are in two whorls, 0.3-0.4 mm, fused to the corolla tube just above the middle. The carpels 4.7 × 2 mm, tapering into erect styles with terminal stigmas. The seed is oblong, slightly flattened and curved with distinct vertical ridges, 0.4 × 0.2 mm. Flowering is mainly in late summer and autumn (April, southern Hemisphere).

Fig. 2. A close-up of the basal leaves of a Kalanchoe waterbergensis plant in habitat at Renosterpoort. Note the ear-like (auriculated) leaf base.