Rhizomes much branched, forming dense clumps, dark red-brown, very slender, 0.3-0.6 cm diam., covered with remains of old leaves; roots fibrous. Stems simple, solid, 1.5-2.5 dm. Leaves: basal few, laxly spreading, longer than stem, blade bright dark green adaxially, flushed pink basally, veins subprominent, linear, 2.8-4.8 dm × 0.5-0.8 cm, rather glaucous abaxially, margins thickened, apex acute; cauline imbricated, sheathing, free only at tips, bracteiform, blade green edged with pink, strongly striate, inflated, apex acuminate. Inflorescence units 1-2-flowered; spathes green with prominent red margins, inflated, broadly lanceolate-ovate, 5.6-7 cm × 8-13 mm, unequal, outer shorter than inner, herbaceous, apex acuminate. Flowers: perianth pale creamy yellow flushed with pale lavender, with conspicuous brownish purple lines; floral tube linear, 3-5 cm, somewhat dilated apically; sepals widely spreading, veined and dotted with deeper purple on claw and limb, oblanceolate, 5.5-8.4 × 1.6-2.7 cm; petals spreading, lanceolate, 5-7 × 1-2 cm, margins sinuate; ovary trigonal in cross section with groove along each angle, narrow, 1-1.5 cm; style 2-3 cm, crests narrowly semiovate or nearly linear, laciniate, 1-2 cm; stigmas rounded-truncate to 2-lobed, never triangular, margins minutely denticulate; pedicel 1-2 cm. Capsules oblong-ovoid, trigonal, somewhat beaked, 2-3 cm. Seeds light brown, D-shaped, oblong-ovoid, thick, finely wrinkled. 2n = 40.

Flowering Apr--Jul. Open woods of redwood region; Calif.

Iris purdyi hybridizes with I. bracteata, I. chrysophylla, I. douglasiana, I. innominata, I. macrosiphon, I. tenax, and I. tenuissima.