Small-leaf goodenia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Small-leaf goodenia |
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| Goodenia benthamiana in Greater Bendigo National Park | |
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| Genus: |
Goodenia
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| Species: |
benthamiana
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The Small-leaf Goodenia (Goodenia benthamiana) is a pretty flowering plant. It belongs to the Goodeniaceae family. You can only find it growing naturally in south-eastern Australia. This plant is a bushy shrub that smells nice. It has leaves that hug its stem. These leaves are shaped like eggs or ovals and have jagged edges. Its bright yellow flowers grow alone or in small groups. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. Small, leaf-like parts called bracteoles are found at the base of these flowers.
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What the Small-leaf Goodenia Looks Like
The Small-leaf Goodenia is a straight, bushy plant. It can grow up to about 40 centimeters (16 inches) tall. It also has a pleasant smell.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this plant do not have stalks. They wrap around the stem. Each leaf is about 10 to 30 millimeters (0.4 to 1.2 inches) long. They are also about 4 to 20 millimeters (0.16 to 0.8 inches) wide. Their edges are toothed, like a saw.
The yellow flowers grow either by themselves or in groups of up to three. They appear where the leaves join the stem. Each flower sits on a tiny stalk called a peduncle. This stalk is very short, only about 0.5 to 1 millimeter long. The individual flowers have even smaller stalks called pedicels. These are about 0.5 to 3 millimeters long.
At the bottom of the flowers, you will find small, leaf-like parts. These are called bracteoles. They are shaped like eggs or spears and are about 2 to 4 millimeters long. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are also egg-shaped or spear-shaped. They are about 2 to 3 millimeters long.
The petals of the flower are bright yellow and about 10 to 12 millimeters long. The lower parts of the flower's petals are about 4 millimeters long. They have small, flat parts called wings, which are about 1.5 millimeters wide.
Flowering and Fruit
The Small-leaf Goodenia usually flowers from September to January. After flowering, the plant produces a fruit. This fruit is an oval-shaped capsule. It is about 5 millimeters long and holds the plant's seeds.
How the Small-leaf Goodenia Got Its Name
The Small-leaf Goodenia was first described in 1868. A scientist named George Bentham gave it the name Goodenia amplexans var. parvifolia. He wrote about it in his book Flora Australiensis. He studied plant samples collected by John Dallachy from Mount Arapiles.
Later, in 1992, another scientist named Roger Charles Carolin changed its name. He decided it was a separate species, not just a variety. So, he renamed it G. benthamiana in the book Flora of Australia. The second part of its scientific name, benthamiana, honors George Bentham.
Where the Small-leaf Goodenia Lives
The Small-leaf Goodenia grows in different parts of south-eastern Australia. You can find it in forests, woodlands, and areas with mallee scrubland. It grows in scattered locations in western Victoria and on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.
