Lachenalia is a genus of bulbous geophytes related to the hyacinth. They are small bulbs and generally produce two leaves, which are often textured or spotted, giving them the name 'Leopard Lily'. They flower throughout the winter and early spring before going dormant in summertime. They are not frost hardy.

Lachenalias also come from the winter rainfall region of southern Africa and first noted as being planted in the Dutch East India Company's Garden at Cape Town in 1685. The name Lachenalia was given to honour an eminent Swiss botanist Werner de Lachenal in the 1780s.

The Afrikaaners called them “Cape cowslip” which is quite misleading, however they are also known as “viooltjie” which refers to the violin-like “squeaks” produced when Lachenalia stems rub together.

In the wild some varieties are often becoming rare or are threatened with extinction due to agricultural and other land development activities.

In Australia l. reflexa is known as the 'Yellow Soldier' and is now marching out of control across the eucalyptus forests of Perth, Western Australia. It has been declared a pest species, one of only 28 that are considered extremely dangerous to natural bushland, where it rapidly smothers all opposition.

Lachenalias are unusual in that some varieties have more than one method of reproduction. All produce seed when fertilised, however some also reproduce underground by producing offsets - side bulbs that eventually break away; others also use bulbils which are small bulblets that grow in the base of the leaves and are released above ground level when the foliage dies back, dispersing further when the plant is disturbed by animals or the wind. The third way used is to produce a stolon -a type of a papery tube- from the base of the bulb which pushes up above the soil, ruptures and so disperses its cargo of one or more bulblets. Man can add a fourth method by taking leaf cuttings for propagation.