This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1888 using specimens collected in Riccarton Bush in Christchurch in September.

[2][3] George Hudson discussed and illustrated this species in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths of New Zealand.

[5] However John S. Dugdale did not follow this placement in his 1988 publication cataloguing New Zealand lepidoptera.

Forewings elongate, slightly dilated posteriorly, costa gently arched, apex round-pointed, hindmargin very oblique, slightly rounded; pale greyish-ochreous, sometimes brownish-tinged; numerous small scattered irregular dark fuscous singulae; a very obscure ochreous-whitish streak along inner margin from 1⁄3 to near anal angle, interrupted by a small dark fuscous spot in middle; a straight narrow dark fuscous fascia from middle of costa to inner margin before anal angle, more or less distinctly interrupted in disc; three very small dark fuscous spots on posterior half of costa : cilia pale greyish-ochreous, fuscous - tinged.

[6][4] Hudson stated that as well as Christchurch this species had also been observed on the coast near Wellington and at Hanmer.