Goodenia dimorpha facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Goodenia dimorpha
In the Royal National Park
Scientific classification
Genus:	Goodenia
Species:	dimorpha

Goodenia dimorpha is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the Goodeniaceae family. This plant grows only in the Sydney region of Australia. This means it is endemic there. It is a straight-growing herb. It has roots that can grow from its stem. Its leaves are usually found near the bottom of the plant. The plant also has clusters of yellow flowers.

What Goodenia Dimorpha Looks Like

Goodenia dimorpha is a plant that stands upright. It is smooth, meaning it has no hairs. It usually grows up to 50 cm (20 in) tall. This plant has special roots called adventitious roots. These roots can grow from parts of the plant that are not usually roots.

Its Leaves and Flowers

Most of the leaves grow near the bottom of the plant. They can be long and thin, or shaped like an egg. The narrower part of the leaf is towards the base. These leaves are usually 10–50 mm (0.39–1.97 in) long and 2–11 mm (0.079–0.433 in) wide. Sometimes, they have a few small teeth along their edges.

The yellow flowers grow in groups called panicles. These flower clusters can be up to 400 mm (16 in) long. Each cluster grows on a stalk called a peduncle, which can be up to 140 mm (5.5 in) long. Small leaf-like parts called bracts are found at the base of these stalks. Each flower sits on a tiny stem called a pedicel, about 3 mm (0.12 in) long.

The green parts under the flower, called sepals, are 2–6 mm (0.079–0.236 in) long. The yellow petals, which form the corolla, are 12–15 mm (0.47–0.59 in) long. The lower parts of the corolla are about 6 mm (0.24 in) long. They have flat, thin parts called wings that are about 3 mm (0.12 in) wide. After flowering, the plant produces a narrow, cylinder-shaped or oval fruit. This fruit is a capsule and is 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long.

How Goodenia Dimorpha Got Its Name

Goodenia dimorpha was first officially described in 1904. Two scientists, Joseph Maiden and Ernst Betche, wrote about it. They published their findings in a scientific paper called the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.

In 1990, another scientist named Roger Charles Carolin chose a special plant sample. This sample, collected by Betche near Woodford in 1899, became the main example for the species. This main example is called a lectotype.

Different Types of Goodenia Dimorpha

In the same scientific paper, Maiden and Betche also described two slightly different types, or varieties, of Goodenia dimorpha. These varieties are still recognized today by the Australian Plant Census.

• Goodenia dimorpha var. angustifolia Maiden & Betche: This variety has long, thin leaves. It usually flowers from November to June.
• Goodenia dimorpha Maiden & Betche var. dimorpha: This variety has leaves shaped like an egg, with the narrower end at the base. It mostly flowers from October to March.

Where Goodenia Dimorpha Grows

This type of goodenia plant likes to grow in wet, swampy areas. It is found on sandstone plateaus. These are flat, high areas made of sandstone rock.

The angustifolia variety grows from the Gosford area down to Waterfall. The dimorpha variety is mainly found near Blackheath. Both of these places are in the beautiful Blue Mountains region of New South Wales.