It has slightly twisted leaves, short stems and 1 to 2 purple or blue and yellow flowers.

[2] It has linear, slightly twisted (spiral-like), leaves, that are 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long and 2–3 mm wide.

[2][3] It has 2 or 3, green, lanceolate, between 6–8 cm (2–3 in) long and 8–10 mm wide, large spathes (leaves of the flower bud).

[2] The small flowers are 3–5 cm (1–2 in) in diameter, are purple or blue and yellow, with markings of opposite colours.

[2] After the iris has flowered, it produces an ellipsoid seed capsule, 2 cm long and 7-8mm wide, with a beaked top and 6 ribs, between June and August.

[2] It is written as 矮鸢尾 in Chinese script and known as ai yuan wei in China.

[2] In Liaoning, China, it was listed as an endemic vascular species, along with Acontium faurieri, Artemisia chienshanica, Betula ceratoptera, Caragana litwinowii, Iris minutoaurea, Phragmites australis and others.