Taxonomic history
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Ixia africana in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 36 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
Today: The current name for this species is Aristea africana (L.) Hoffmanns.
original Latin diagnosis
Ixia floribus capitatis, spathis laceris.
English translation
Ixia with flowers capitate; [and] with the spathes lacerate.
| Ixia | Ixia |
| with flowers | floribus - ablative plural of third declension masculine noun flor, floris |
| capitate; | capitatis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective capitatus, -a, -um; modifies floribus |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| with spathes | spathis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spatha, -ae |
| lacerate. | laceratis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective laceratus, -a, -um; modifies spathis |