Goodenia glomerata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Goodenia glomerata |
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| In the ANBG | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Goodenia
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| Species: |
glomerata
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Goodenia glomerata is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the Goodeniaceae family. It grows only in a specific area along the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, meaning it's endemic there. This plant is an upright, somewhat hairy herb (meaning it doesn't have a woody stem like a tree). Its leaves are shaped like ellipses or spears and are mostly found near the bottom of the plant. It produces compact groups of hairy yellow flowers.
What Does This Plant Look Like?
Goodenia glomerata is an upright plant that usually grows to about 50 cm (20 in) (about 20 inches) tall. It has soft, yellowish to grey hairs that feel like cotton.
Most of its leaves grow from the base of the plant. They are shaped like an ellipse or a spear, with the narrower part closer to the stem. These leaves can be quite long, from 6 mm (0.24 in) to 200 mm (7.9 in) (about 0.2 to 8 inches) and about 10 mm (0.39 in) to 22 mm (0.87 in) (about 0.4 to 0.9 inches) wide. Their edges are slightly toothed.
The flowers grow in tight groups called spikes, which can be 120 mm (4.7 in) to 300 mm (12 in) (about 5 to 12 inches) long. Each flower cluster has special leaf-like parts called bracts, which are 12 mm (0.47 in) to 20 mm (0.79 in) (about 0.5 to 0.8 inches) long and shaped like a spear. Smaller leaf-like parts called bracteoles are also present, measuring 8 mm (0.31 in) to 15 mm (0.59 in) (about 0.3 to 0.6 inches) long.
The sepals, which are the green parts that protect the flower bud, are thin and spear-shaped, about 8 mm (0.31 in) to 10 mm (0.39 in) (about 0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. The main part of the flower, called the corolla, is yellow and measures 20 mm (0.79 in) to 30 mm (1.2 in) (about 0.8 to 1.2 inches) long. It has soft, cottony hairs and star-shaped hairs on the outside. The lower parts of the corolla are 9 mm (0.35 in) to 11 mm (0.43 in) (about 0.35 to 0.43 inches) long and have small "wings" about 2 mm (0.079 in) (0.08 inches) wide.
After the flower blooms, it produces a fruit that is a cylindrical capsule, about 8 mm (0.31 in) to 9 mm (0.35 in) (about 0.3 to 0.35 inches) long. This capsule holds the seeds.
How This Plant Got Its Name
The plant Goodenia glomerata was first officially described in the year 1900. This description was done by two botanists, Joseph Maiden and Ernst Betche. They published their findings in a scientific paper called Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales.
Where Does This Plant Grow?
This specific type of goodenia plant grows in wet, swampy areas. It prefers soil that comes from sandstone and conglomerate rocks. You can find it along the coast of New South Wales, Australia, from Jervis Bay down to Ulladulla. It also grows a bit further inland, reaching the Budawang Range.
