The taxonomy of Kalanchoe brachyloba Welw. ex Britten, a common species in the western, central, northern, and eastern parts of southern Africa, and further north to central Africa, is reviewed. Although having affinities with K. paniculata Harv., K. brachyloba is a distinctive species characterised by its sessile, arched, oblong-lanceolate leaves that are lengthwise-folded upwards along the midrib, and have a velvety feel to the surface. The leaf margins are coarsely and irregularly serrate-lobed to crenate, rarely entire as in K. paniculata, which has flat to variously floppily folded, subcircular to broadly ovate leaves. K. brachyloba is one of the few southern African species of which the flowers are twisted below the free portions (lobes) of the petals. An amplified description and a distribution map are provided for the species. The name K. brachyloba is lectotypified, and the typification of several of its synonyms is clarified.