The genus Ixia consists of a number of cormous plants native to South Africa from the Iridaceae family and Ixioideae subfamily. Some of them are known as the corn lily. Some distinctive traits include: sword-like leaves, and long wiry stems with star-shaped flowers. It usually prefers well-drained soil. They have a specific but not very intense fragrance of vegetables. That is why it is often visited by many insects such as bees.

Ixia capillaris, commonly known as Capillary Kalossie, is a near threatened but widespread South African endemic species found in the Western Cape where it occurs from Piketberg and Koue Bokkeveld to Bot River and Riversdale where it grows on flats, hills, and mountain slopes in sandy or clay soils. Growing from 20 to 45 cm, this species has narrow leaves and white to mauve-blue to pink flowers with a funnel-shaped tube. It flowers from mid-winter to early spring from July to September.