The lichen was formally described as a new species in 2003 by lichenologists Pradeep Divakar, Dalip Kumar Upreti, Gopal Prasad Sinha, and John Elix.

The type specimen was collected by the third author in the Llonakh valley of Mangan district in Sikkim, at an altitude of 4,500 m (14,800 ft).

It is named for its similarity to the bark-dwelling Australian species Melanelia pseudoglabra, from which it differs by its smaller thallus, narrower lobes, substrate preference, and chemistry.

[2] The foliose thallus of Melanelia microglabra, which is somewhat loosely attached to its rock substrate, has a leathery texture and reaches a diameter of up to 1.5 cm (0.6 in).

The individual lobes comprising the thallus measure 0.2–1.0 mm wide, with incised tips and lacking any cilia at the margins.