Cormous geophyte up to 40cm, often with one to three short, spreading branchlets. Leaves sword-shaped with rigid, thickened margins often becoming dry at flowering. Flowers point at an angle upwards, usually a deep pink, 6-15 per spike; stamens are fully exserted and point straight out from centre of flower; anthers ovoid.

Very similar to Ixia scillaris; the stamens of Ixia scillaris are nodding ie. they bend downwards, those of Ixia stricta do not hang down.