Spreading Guinea Flower

Hibbertia obtusifolia is a prostrate, often mat-forming shrub with more or less glabrous branches up to 30 cm (12 in) long. The leaves are linear to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 3–19 mm (0.12–0.75 in) long and 0.4–2.1 mm (0.016–0.083 in) wide with a rounded end and usually a groove along the upper surface. The flowers are arranged on the ends of branches and are sessile, surrounded by a cluster of up to six leaves. The sepals are 5.3–10.5 mm (0.21–0.41 in) long and of unequal lengths. The petals are bright yellow, egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, and 4.0–15 mm (0.16–0.59 in) long. There are eighteen to twenty-five stamens arranged in groups around usually four glabrous carpels. Flowering occurs from October to December.

Spreading guinea flower occurs in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, growing in sandy soil, usually in heath. It is widespread and common in Tasmania, found in near-coastal areas of southern Victoria, but rare in New South Wales where it only occurs on the Central Coast near Somersby, Kulnura and Mangrove Mountain.