It has green, deeply ribbed, sickle shaped leaves, a slender stem with a branch (from the middle), 1–3 scented flowers that are violet or purple, with a white or pale blue beard.

It is rarely cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions, due to its rarity in the wild.

It was once thought to be a form of Iris aphylla, before cell (chromosome) analysis determined it to be a separate species.

It is similar in form to Iris aphylla, but has various differences including, stem branching,[2] spathes, the falls, styles crests and seeds.

[2][3] The stem has green,[6] inflated, spathe (leaf of the flower bud), They are between 3.5 and 6 cm (1 and 2 in) long.

[2][3] They have lots of dark veining,[3][5] and in the centre, there is a row of short hairs, a 'beard', which are white or pale blue.

[3] After the iris has flowered, in mid June,[4] it produces an oblong shaped seed capsule, which is visibly grooved.

[16] The Latin specific epithet perrieri refers to Eugène Pierre Perrier de la Bâthie, (1825–1916),[17] Baron E. Perrier de la Bathie, who ran a speciality plant nursery at the nearby town of Albertville.

[2][3] The plant was then published as a separate species, and described by P Fournier based on an earlier description by Simonet as Iris perrieri in Les Quartre Flore de la France, Vol.191 in 1935.

[19][20] It is found in France,[6][19][26] within the department of Savoie,[4] (or Savoy),[3][7][8] near the town of Saint-Pierre-d'Albigny,[27] and on Mount Dent d'Arclusaz,[3] in the Bauges Mountains.

[4][7][9] In 2011, it was also found in Italy, in the Maritime Alps, in the Province of Cuneo, in Gesso Valley, near to the town of Valdieri.

[14] It grows on the steep mountain sides,[2][6] on rocky slopes,[4][5][22] in reddish soils,[2] made of limestone.

[2][14][22] It is a very rare plant,[4] with only 2–3 populations found on the mountains of Savoy,[5][22] France and Piedmont, Italy.

[10] The populations are protected,[5] (from collection and other disturbances),[4][22] and it is listed in the 'Conservatoire d'espaces naturels de Savoie' (the Conservatory of Savoy Natural Heritage)'s Red Book National Volume I.

[9] Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), and if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting.