Romulea is a genus in the Iridaceae family of about 90 species that is found both in South Africa and in Europe. Rootstock is a corm, globose, bell shaped to top shaped, compressed or asymmetric with a circular to crescent shaped basal ridge. This genus has flowers reminiscent of Crocus. Many are quite striking, especially the South African species and there is a great variation in colour and markings of the flowers. They are easy to grow in pots and many are easy from seed, flowering rather quickly in some cases.

Romulea columnae ssp. assumptionis, commonly known as Sand Crocus or Dune Crocus, is exotic to South Africa, occurring naturally in Europe, Great Britain, and North Africa. It is a small plant, 15 to 20 cm tall with thin narrow leaves, and small scape which has small pale purple or violet pointed flowers with darker veining that extends into the throats. It blooms early in the year, from January onwards till May. It has one to three flowers per corm.