It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from Asia, found in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

[3][5][6] The leaves have a sheath-like covering of fibres near the rhizome,[2][4] they also have veining,[2][4][7] which is sometimes criss-crossed and they are sometimes considered evergreen.

[12] It has 2 or 3 green, lanceolate (lance-like), 5.5–7.5 cm (2–3 in) long, spathes (leaves of the flower bud), are acuminate (end in a point).

[13] It has had its chromosome count several times, 2n=44,[3][8][14] Snoad in 1952; 2n=44, Lenz in 1959, 2n=44, Chimphamba in 1973; 2n=44, Mao & Xue in 1986.

[10][23] It was originally found in April, 1874, by a Chinese workman, employed by the botanical garden of Hong-Kong, on a hill facing the sea between Victoria Peak and Mount Davis, on Hong Kong island.

[24][25] It was later published in 'The Gardeners' Chronicle' Vol.40 on page 36 on 8 July 1876 and by John Gilbert Baker in Curtis's Botanical Magazine tab.

[15] Then in the Journal of the 'Linnean Society of London' Vol.16 p143 in 1878, 'The Gardeners' Chronicle' Vol.87 page 396 on 23 June 1900 and 'Wild Flowers of Hong Kong' Vol.35 in 1977.

[7] It was previously placed in Section Lophiris because of a crest-like ridge in signal area, but Wu & Cutler Taxonomic, evolutionary and ecological implications of the leaf anatomy of rhizomatous Iris species in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society Vol.

[16][23] It is found within many Provinces of China, including; Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan and Zhejiang.

[10][23][14] It grows beside forest margins, in open grassy groves and beside roadsides,[2] on mountain slopes.

[2] Some rare and attractive species that are subject to exploitation are specifically listed in the Forestry Regulations, (under Forests and Countryside Ordinance) a subsidiary legislation of Chapter 96. which further controls the sale and possession of the listed species.

[17] It was classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants in China.

These found that the flowering stage of the populations was about 35 days from May to June, and the majority of plants kept blooming from 8 May to 20 May.