[1] It was described by Alfred Philpott and is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in Canterbury, in the South Island.

This species was first described by Alfred Philpott in 1930 using material he collected at Governors Bush, Mount Cook and named Carposina ignobilis.

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

Forewings narrow, hardly dilated posteriorly, costa rather strongly arched, apex round-pointed, termen very oblique; ochreous-grey densely irrorated with fuscous; basal patch indicated by blackish scales, more prominently below fold; an oblique blackish scale-tuft crossing fold at about ¼, suffusedly margined inwardly with a fuscous shade which extends right across wing; some very obscure dark spots on apical ⅔ of costa; an obscure blackish spot in disc at ¾: fringes densely speckled with fuscous and whitish.

[3]Philpott stated this species was likely related to H. canescens but that it could be distinguished as the male of H. ignobilis had quite different genital characteristics and also lacked the ochreous patch on costa of hindwing which can be found in H. canescens adult moths.