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 inclinata, a perennial South African endemic species, is found on damp clay flats and lower slopes in the western Cape from Porterville to Hopefield. It grows from 15 to 30 mm high with an inclined spike and lanceolate pleated leaves in a loose basal fan. Flowers are blue to violet with the suberect lower tepals often and dorsal tepals sometimes cream-colored. The lower tepals of this bulbous plant have black or reddish marking in the lower third. Anthers and pollen are purple, lilac, or white.