 This species was first formally described in 1837 by Stefan Endlicher who gave it the name "Genetyllis citriodora".The description was published in "Enumeratio plantarum quas in Novae Hollandiæ ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel".In 1865, George Bentham changed the name to "Darwinia citriodora" and published the change in "Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany".