Goodenia ovata

A clumping shrub, often with many thin stems forming a basal clump, to 2 metres tall and wide.

It has a large natural distribution in NSW, occurring commonly on the coast, from the Victorian border to about Port Macquarie, but then continuing along the coastal hinterland / tablelands into Queensland. It is found on the central and southern tablelands, as well scattered through the western slopes regions, extending out on the south western and far western plains. In Queensland, it extends northwards to about Maryborough. It runs through Victoria, mostly found in the southern half of the State and extends into South Australia, north to Mt Lindhurst and west to Port Lincoln and Kangaroo island.

Goodenia spp. have simple and alternate leaves with some more-herbaceous species producing a basal rosette of leaves and then secondary leaves on flowering stems (known as cauline leaves). In this species, which is a woody shrub, the leaves are glossy green, ovate in shape with a toothed margin, to 8 cm long and 4 cm wide, on petioles to 3 cm long, mid to dark green.

Goodenia spp. have 5-merous bisexual flowers, produced in leafy thryses (technically solitary), racemes or spikes, or umbels, usually always yellow or white but sometimes mauve, purple-blue or pink. The flowers have 5 uneven petals. In this species, the flowers are bright yellow, solitary and held in the leaf axils, on pedicels to 4 cm long; each flower to about 20 mm across; and are conspicuous against the foliage. Flowering extends from October to March with some flowers carried at other times.

The fruit is a capsule. In this species, it is cylindrical, to 12 mm long, with 2 valves, releasing seeds about 2 mm long.