Ixieae

Taxobox
name = Ixieae

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Babiana sambucina"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Liliopsida
ordo = Asparagales
familia = Iridaceae
subfamilia = Ixioideae
tribus = Ixieae
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = See text.

Ixieae is the largest tribe in subfamily Ixioideae (part of the well-known Iridaceae family). Its members are widely distributed in the Old World, with a strong concentration in South Africa.

The rootstock of the members in the group is corm. The leaves are typically sword-shaped.

The blooms (in some cases with scent) are collected in inflorescence which sometimes can be very long like in "Dierama". Well, it can be also unnoticeable like in "Romulea" or "Geissorhiza". The flower has six identical tepals. If the plant provides nectar It's produced from a gland in the base of the ovary.

Seeds are produced in 3-locular ovary. They can be very different in the different species. For example in "Gladiolus" they are delicate with fine coat with pellet-like structure in the center and in "Babiana" they are small, black and hard grains.

A large proportion of the species are used as ornamental plants - they can often be seen in gardens or in pots. Some of them are "Freesia", "Gladiolus", "Sparaxis" and others but many of them are in danger like "Ixia viridiflora", "Babiana socotrana" and others.

The name of the tribe comes from the name of one of the genera in it - "Ixia", the Corn lily.

List of genera: