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A small (2.7 – 3.0 cm wingspan) green moth with broad pointed wings. The wings are bright green. A prominent straight white line crosses both wings diagonally, from the forewing costa just short of the apex to lower part of the inner margin of the hindwing. A second similar line crosses the forewing only near the base. Male antennae bipectinate, female simple. Similar to Nemoria species, but the white line pattern is unique among Alberta moths.

This pretty little moth was added to the Alberta and Canadian lists in 2006 when Ron Hooper found a specimen from Alberta in the collection of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum of Natural History. The specimen was identified from a color photo supplied by Ron. Dichorda rectaria joins a growing list of lepidoptera known in Canada or Alberta only from the Milk River valley. The Alberta specimen is illustrated at left; the specimen illustrated above is from Colorado.