This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1910 using specimens collected on Raoul Island and named Polychrosis meliscia.

[2] This placement was confirmed in 2010 by Robert Hoare in the New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity where the species was again discussed under the name Polychrosis meliscia.

[6] The female holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.

Forewings elongate, posteriorly dilated, costa gently arched, apex obtuse, termen gently rounded, oblique; 2 from ¾ of cell; whitish-ochreous finely speckled with dark fuscous, and irregularly strewn with small ferruginous-ochreous strigulæ; markings faint, indefinite, formed by greater development of dark speckling and strigulation; a moderate basal patch, outer edge nearly straight, rather oblique; central fascia indicated by a broad costal blotch reaching half across wing and a patch before tornus; cilia whitish-ochreous, obscurely barred with ferruginous-ochreous.

Hindwings grey-whitish, posteriorly faintly strigulated with grey; cilia whitish.