Erect subshrub to 50 cm tall, glabrous or with few, scattered hairs on stem. Leaves ±sessile, elliptic to obovate, dentate or entire; lamina 9-34 mm long, 3-14 mm wide. Flowers in terminal spikes to 18 cm long; bracts leaf-like but smaller; bracteoles lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 5-7 mm long. Sepals semiorbicular, c. 1 mm long, connate. Corolla 16-21 mm long, glabrous outside or with some hairs towards top, ±bearded inside, usually blue; barbulae simple; wings to 1 mm wide. Ovary 2-locular; indusium 1-2.5 mm long, scanty beard above scarcely reaching lips. Fruit obovoid, 3-6 mm long, rugose, often pubescent near base.

Flowers chiefly May-Oct.

Extends from the N.T., excluding Arnhem Land, south just into S.A., and just over the border into Qld.

Usually found in rocky soil often over limestone, but occasionally in sand.

N.T.: c. 50 km E of Frewena, Barkly Hwy, J.R.Maconochie 407 (DNA); c. 62 km SW of Tobermorey homestead, 20 Sept. 1956, G.A.M.Chippendale (DNA); Georgina Downs homestead, 1 Oct. 1957, G.A.M.Chippendale (DNA). S.A.: Ernabella, 24 July 1966, F.J.Tuvey (SYD). Qld: between Dajarra and Boulia, P. & H.Althofer 8540 (BRI).

All other members of the series which have a short beard on the indusium have some degree of hairiness. Scaevola laciniata , which shows some resemblance to S. glabrata and is also virtually glabrous, has a long purple beard on the indusium.

Data derived from Flora of Australia Volume 35 (1992), a product of ABRS, ©Commonwealth of Australia