It inhabits native forest and scrub and has also been collected in open spaces along riverbeds.

This species was described by Charles E. Clarke in 1934 as Xanthorhoe citroena using material collected by himself in December 1928 at Waiho Gorge near the Franz Josef glacier in Westland.

[2][3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under the name Xanthorhoe citroena in his 1939 book A supplement to the butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

Forewings moderate, with rounded hind margin; suffused with deep orange; two or three whitish arched fasciae near base, one or two median fasciae, more or less interrupted in middle in some specimens, attenuated in others, partly bordered with brownish which has tendencies to form several indistinct transverse wavy lines; beyond middle a whitish fascia, waved and angulated at about middle; a wavy subterminal line.

[4] This species inhabits the edges of native forest and scrub and has been collected in open spaces along riverbeds.