The generic name is derived from the Greek word strouthos, a ‘small bird’ or ‘sparrow’, referring to the calyx-remnant of the fruit that resembles the beak of a sparrow. The specific epithet is derived from Greek word stria meaning a ‘furrow’ or ‘channel’, referring to the longitudinal furrows that form at the back of the dry leaves.

Struthiola is a largely southern African genus of ± 40 species, with 3 or 4 species also in tropical Africa (Peterson 2006; Manning & Goldblatt 2012). In South Africa the genus is mainly concentrated in the Greater Cape Floristic Region of the Western Cape (Manning & Goldbaltt 2012), with a few species extending to KwaZulu-Natal.

The number of petaloid scales has been used in the past to distinguish 3 main groups within the genus, namely those with 4, 8 or 12 scales. The 4-scaled group consists of 2 species, S. striata and S. tetralepis. These species are distinguished from each other in that S. striata has ovate sepals and cream-coloured flowers, whereas S. tetralepis from the Hottentots Holland Mts, has lanceolate sepals and greenish yellow flowers that fade to red.