It is a short-lived herb with egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with toothed edges and racemes of yellow flowers.

Goodenia paniculata is a short-lived herb that typically grows to a height of 50 cm (20 in) with many adventitious roots.

[2][3][4] The name Goodenia paniculata first appeared in scientific literature in the Transactions of the Linnean Society of London in 1794, published by the English botanist, James Edward Smith from specimens collected by David Burton in Port Jackson.

[5][6] Karel Domin described Goodenia rosulata from Queensland in 1929, but this name is now regarded as a synonym of G. paniculata by the Australian Plant Census.

The plant community it grows in is heath or woodland, dominated by such trees as thin-leaved stringybark (Eucalyptus eugenioides), broad-leaved red ironbark (E. fibrosa), forest red gum (E. tereticornis), woollybutt (E. longifolia) and white feather honeymyrtle (Melaleuca decora), and shrubs such as prickly-leaved paperbark (M. nodosa), Deane's paperbark (M. deanei), and tantoon (Leptospermum polygalifolium).