S. I. Ali & Brian Mathew

Corm globular 1-2.5 cm in diameter covered by tunic of parallel fibres. Stem 15-50 cm long, simple or branched. Leaves 10-35 cm ( 2-7 mm. Spike 4 to many flowered, compact. Flowers orange or yellow-orange with dark brown, purple or blackish centres. Hypanthial tube 5-8 mm, lobes 1.5-3 cm ( 8-12 mm. Stamens arise at the throat of the perianth tube; filaments 3-5 mm, united into a tube at the base, anthers 7-9 mm.

Fl. Per.: March-June.

Occurs naturally in Cape Province, South Africa. Commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant.

According to J. Cullen (in S.M. Walters et al., The European Garden Flora, 1: 380. 1986) most of the Ixias are hybrids of uncertain parentage (though I. maculata has made a significant contribution).