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 minor, synonymously known as Ixia micrandra var. minor, is a range-restricted South African endemic species found in the Western Cape’s Wemmershoek, Franschhoek, Hottentots Holland and Kogelberg mountains growing amongst fynbos on stony sandstone slopes. From mid-winter to late spring it produces vivid pink flowers.