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 contorta, synonymously known as Ixia rapunculoides var. rigida, is a near threatened South African endemic species found in the Western Cape province, ranging from Cederberg to the Koue Bokkeveld and Touwsrivier. It grows in well-drained sandy soils, predominantly on flats in sandstone, quartzite and alluvial fynbos. Growing from 10 to 30 cm (usually 15 cm or less), it has 3 falcate leaves with the lower two with thickened margins and midribs and the uppermost sheathing the stem. It has 2 to 6 blue purple unscented upright flowers with a yellow throat sometimes edged with a band of dark purple, included filaments, and a wiry twisted spike with twisted branches. It flowers in spring, mid-September to October.