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 ecklonii,, synonymously known as Babiana ecklonii var. ecklonii or Babiana velutina and commonly known as Split-male Bobbejaantjie, is a sought-after South African endemic perennial geophyte found in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces from Elandskloof and Piekenierskloof in the south to the Gifberg and Heerenlogement Mountain in the north occurring in dry fynbos and succulent karoo, on mountain slopes up to 500 m elevation and flats in stony, sandstone-derived soils, often in rock crevices. Plants grow to 10-30 cm high. This species has lance-shaped hairy leaves and blue to violet variable flowers with a large white to pale yellow blotch on the two lower lateral segments. It flowers from August to September.