The genus Babiana is endemic to southern Africa and comprises about 70 species, most of which are indigenous to South Africa where they can be found growing naturally in the south-western and western parts of the Western Cape, and in Namaqualand. The corms of several Babiana species are known to be edible and have been eaten by indigenous peoples in the northern parts of South Africa for ages. The genus name Babiana is derived from the Dutch word, baviaantje, which means little baboon, and refers to observations made by early colonists at the Cape of Good Hope, who witnessed that baboons commonly ate the corms of this genus. They are just about all winter-growing and generally bloom in late winter and spring. The extraordinary diversity in flower shape and colour, from long and tubular to broadly cup-shaped, and from pure white through countless shades of yellow to blue, pink, mauve, purple and crimson, have endeared babianas to gardeners around the world. Many of the species in this genus have a deliciously spicy sweet-smelling scent. They do well planted along with Aloes that share the same growth cycle.

Babiana bainesii, synonymously known as Babiana bakeri, Babiana hypogaea or Babiana schlechteri and commonly known as Tropical Bobbejaantjie, is a South African indigenous geophyte of 15–25 cm, found in the Limpopo, Northern Cape and North West provinces from Kimberley to the Soutpansberg where it occurs on stony or sandy slopes and flats in dry grassland and bush. This species is also found in Botswana, Namibia (where it is common and widespread), Zimbabwe, and Zambia. The flowers are borne from late summer till early winter. These are an irridescent purple with the lower two or three petals having white markings.