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 odorata is a South African endemic species from the Western Cape Province where it can be found from Olifants River Mountains and Piketberg to the Cape Peninsula, Kleinrivier Mountains and Elim. It was previously known as Ixia odorata var. hesperanthoides, Ixia odorata var. odorata and Morphixia odorata. Commonly known as Geelkalossie in Afrikaans it grows to 40cm tall. During spring it bears small yellow aromatic flowers.