Hesperantha is a cormous genus in the Iridaceae family with 79 species. Four are found in tropical Africa, 37 in summer-rainfall southern Africa, and 42 in winter-rainfall southern Africa. Many of the former are found in the eastern southern African Drakensberg in Kwa Zulu-Natal. Most plants are short, 15 to 20 cm. tall or less. A number of them open late in the afternoon or early evening and those are often very fragrant.

Hesperantha bachmannii is a South African endemic species from the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Western Cape Provinces. It was previously known as Hesperantha angusta and is commonly known as Aandblom in Afrikaans. It grows to 25cm tall and in spring it bears white strongly scented flowers facing downwards. These only open late in the afternoon.