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 purpureorosea is a South African endemic species found in the Western Cape province from Vredenburg to Saldanha growing on coastal limestone and calcrete pavements. It grows from 20 to 60 cm high and has 3 to 12 mauve pink/blue flowers with a blackish center on a congested spike.