This species is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North, South and Stewart Islands.

This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1911 using two specimens collected at 4200 ft on the Mount Arthur tableland at night on Hebe blossoms by George Hudson.

[4] In 1928 George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand under the name Xanthorhoe cedrinodes.

[6] John S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Austrocidaria and at the same synonymised X. episema with that name.

Forewings triangular, costa moderately arched towards apex, apex obtuse, termen waved, slightly rounded, rather oblique; reddish-fuscous, more or less sprinkled with black, tending to form curved waved transverse striae; costa marked irregularly with black; a curved band of several pale whitish-ochreous striae separating basal patch and median band, former edged with blackish and both slightly with white; median band broad, variably marked with black on edges and veins, middle third of posterior edge forming a moderate obtuse double prominence, partially finely edged with white posteriorly; beyond this a band of two or three cloudy pale whitish-ochreous striae, veins on this marked with black; subterminal line slender, waved, indistinct, pale whitish-ochreous; a black terminal line marked with ochreous-whitish dots on veins : cilia dark fuscous mixed with brown-reddish and whitish.

Hindwings with termen somewhat rounded, crenate; pale rosy- greyish-ochreous, with traces of faint grey striae; posterior edge of median band more marked, angulated in middle, blackish-sprinkled towards dorsum; some reddish-fuscous suffusion along termen; a black terminal line : cilia reddish-fuscous mixed with ochreous-whitish and dark grey.

[3]Hudson pointed out that both the males and females of this species vary in the intensity of their markings and colouring.