It is an erect herb with linear to lance-shaped leaves, sometimes with toothed edges, and racemes or thyrses of hairy yellow flowers.

Goodenia stelligera is an erect, glabrous herb that typically grows to a height of 60 cm (24 in) and forms adventitious roots.

The leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant and are linear to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, sometimes with small teeth on the edges, 50–250 mm (2.0–9.8 in) long, 1–12 mm (0.039–0.472 in) wide and sessile.

[2][3][4] Goodenia stelligera was first formally described in 1810 by botanist Robert Brown in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae.

[7] Spiked goodenia grows in swamps on sandstone in near-coastal areas from south-eastern Queensland to near Braidwood in New South Wales.