It rare and threatened due to habitat destruction, from military actions, overgrazing by goats and other factors.

[5] It has up to 6, grey-green leaves,[5][6] which are lanciform (shaped like a lance)[5] or falcate,[4] or curved,[3] and cutlass-shaped.

[5][7][10] It is written in Arabic script as سوسن وست [3] There is no published reasons to the usage of the Latin specific epithet westii, but William Armstrong West (1894–1980), professor of chemistry in the American University of Beirus accompanied Dinsmore on several of his collecting expeditions, and had a special interest in Oncocylus Irises.

[5][8][7] It is also found on Mount Hermon,[4][15] near the town of Jezzine,[3] and on the southern part of the Lebanon Mountains ridge.

[6] It grows on the rocky,[3] limestone mountain slopes within open sub-alpine scrubland.

[4][1] The plants can be found at an altitudes of between 750–1,200 m (2,460–3,940 ft) above sea level,[3] which is quite rare for an Oncocyclus species iris.

[5] Total population size of the iris plants was estimated to be less than 500 mature individuals.

Although the IUCN Redlist has reported that the iris has 4 declining populations in 2016 within the southern part of the Lebanon Mountains ridge and from near Jezzine (Niha).

[18] The plant is still threatened by continuing military activities in the area, overgrazing by goats,[4] crop growing and aquaculture.

It is winter hardy, but does need a well drained soil and plenty of moisture during the growing months, in the spring.

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