The ground colour of the forewings in males is brownish grey, with varying amounts of indistinct rufous areas.

There is a rectangulate dark grey basal spot on the costa and a fainter dark grey triangulate spot proximal to the apex.

The larvae reach a length of 28–33.5 mm and have a pale green to yellow-green ground colour and a yellow head.

The species overwinters as an egg on the leaves and branches of the host plant.

The species name refers to the dark greyish brown ground colour of the forewings.