Goodenia angustifolia facts for kids

Goodenia angustifolia is a type of flowering plant found only in northern Australia. It belongs to the Goodeniaceae plant family. This plant is a low-growing or upright herb. It has thin, needle-shaped leaves that are grooved. Its bright yellow flowers grow in clusters. Small, leaf-like parts called bracteoles are found at the base of each flower.

What it Looks Like

Goodenia angustifolia is a low-growing or upright plant. Its leaves and stems are smooth and have a slightly blue-green color. The leaves are shaped like needles but have a groove, almost like a tiny channel. They are usually about 50 to 80 millimeters (2 to 3 inches) long and very thin, about 0.5 millimeters wide. Sometimes, the leaves on the stem grow in small groups.

The flowers grow in long clusters, up to 100 millimeters (4 inches) long. Each flower sits on a short stalk, about 5 to 10 millimeters long. The individual flowers have even smaller stalks, about 1 millimeter long. At the base of each flower, there are small, leaf-like bracteoles.

The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are lance-shaped and about 2.5 to 3 millimeters long. The main part of the flower, called the corolla, is bright yellow. It is about 10 to 12 millimeters long and has tiny hairs inside. The lower parts of the corolla are about 6 to 7 millimeters long, with thin, flat edges about 2 millimeters wide. This plant has been seen flowering in August.

How it Got its Name

The scientific name Goodenia angustifolia was first officially described in 1980. This was done by a scientist named Roger Charles Carolin. He wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea. He had collected a sample of the plant near a place called Nockatunga in 1964.

The second part of the plant's name, angustifolia, is a Latin word. It means "narrow-leaved." This name perfectly describes the plant's thin, needle-like leaves.

Where it Grows

This goodenia plant mostly grows on rocky, open areas called "stony downs." These areas are found near where the first sample of the plant was collected in Queensland. However, it has also been found growing along roadsides and in other dry areas of the Northern Territory. It is a plant that prefers arid, or very dry, environments.