The species name acinacifolia means "scimitar-leaves", and refers to how the smooth adult leaves curve, and end in a sharp point.

The multi-branched inflorescence is often over a meter in height, with pink flowers and appears between September and December.

It can be confused with Gasteria excelsa to the east, but G.excelsa has thicker, wider, straighter, smoother, darker leaves, that have fewer spots and much sharper, heavily serrated margins, as well as a more erectly branching inflorescence.

It can be confused with Gasteria carinata to the west too, but G.carinata in its typical form has much smaller leaves and a non-branching inflorescence.

It occurs on shady cliff faces and in dune thickets, along the coast, between Knysna and Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.