Goodenia elderi facts for kids

Goodenia elderi is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the Goodeniaceae family. You can only find it in the dry, inland areas of Western Australia. This plant is a shrub that stands tall and straight. It has thin leaves that grow in bunches. Its flowers are white or yellow and grow in spreading clusters.

What Does Goodenia Elderi Look Like?

Goodenia elderi is a shrub that usually grows from about 0.3 to 1 meter tall. That's like the height of a small kid to a tall teenager! Its leaves are long and thin, about 5 to 20 millimeters long. They are also quite narrow, only 1 to 1.5 millimeters wide.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of this plant grow in spreading groups. These groups can be 40 to 120 millimeters long. Each flower sits on a small stalk up to 12 millimeters long. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are 4 to 6 millimeters long.

The petals, called the corolla, are either white or yellow. They are usually 9 to 11 millimeters long. The lower part of the corolla can be up to 7 millimeters long.

Goodenia elderi mostly blooms from September to January. After the flowers, it produces a fruit. This fruit is a capsule, shaped like an oval, and is about 5 to 6 millimeters long.

How Goodenia Elderi Got Its Name

This plant was first officially described in 1874. Two scientists, Ferdinand von Mueller and Ralph Tate, wrote about it. They found it near a place called Warangering. This discovery happened during an expedition. The trip was paid for by a person named Thomas Elder.

The plant's specific name, elderi, was chosen to honor Thomas Elder. It's a way to remember his support for the expedition.

Where Does Goodenia Elderi Grow?

You can find Goodenia elderi growing in sandy soil. It lives in the inland parts of Western Australia. Its home stretches from Karalee, which is west of Coolgardie, all the way to Queen Victoria Spring, north of Zanthus.

This plant grows in several different natural areas. These include the Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert, Murchison, Nullarbor, and Yalgoo regions.

Is Goodenia Elderi Safe?

The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife checks on plants like Goodenia elderi. They have classified this plant as "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.