Fore wings ochreous, in male often reddish on costa and about apex.

The usual lines are in the male reduced to irregular blackish costal spots; in the female these costal spots give rise to very faint transverse waved lines.

Nearest to X. ceyrota, but easily distinguished by the brighter ground-colour and the white costal spots.

[2][9] The species was regarded as being rare and local to the southern part of the South Island.

[12] This moth is classified under the New Zealand Threat Classification system as being Nationally Critical.

[1] It has been hypothesised that this species is under threat as a likely result of habitat loss, given the drying out of ecosystems as a result of wetland drainage which in turn ensures the land no longer supports the plants the species lives on in its larvae stage.