The specific epithet poeppigii is named after the man who first discovered this species, Eduard Friedrich Poeppig (1798-1868).

This species got its common name, 'seersucker plant', because of its close resemblance to the puckering of seersucker fabric.

Analysis of morphological characters in Commelinaceae indicate Geogenanthus is closely related to Dichoriscantieae and Siderasis,[5] but Geogenanthus is placed as the sister to Dichoriscantieae and Siderasis in the cladogram from the combined morphology and sequence analysis, with high bootstrap value supporting the placement.

[6] Based on the estimates of origin and diversification of the order Commelinales, which might have been sometime during the mid to late cretaceous period i.e. between 123 and 66 million years ago,[7] it can be very roughly estimated that the genus Geogenanthus could have originated 66 million years ago.

It has been documented in the lowlands of Peru and western Brazil, and is typically found on the floor of primary rainforests.

This species is adaptable to a low light environments which has made it preferable for a house plant.