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 rapunculoides var subpendula is a South African endemic species from the Western Cape Province. It grows to 50 cm tall with 1 to 5 filiform pendulous branches and linear leaves. From spring to summer it bears white/pink/pale blue campanulate flowers.