[3] The specific name, forstenii, is in honor of Dutch naturalist Eltio Alegondas Forsten (1811–1843).

The frontal is nearly as long as its distance from the end of the snout, which is shorter than the parietal scales.

There are three or four lower labials, in contact with the anterior chin shields, which are about as long as the posterior.

The snake is brown above, with more or less regular angular black crossbars, with or without white spots between them.

The longest specimen examined by Boulenger in 1890 had a total length of 4 feet 10 inches (1.47 m), including a tail which was 1 ft (30 cm) long.