Raoulia eximia is a very unusual shrub in the family Asteraceae (sunflower family, also called Compositae). It is native to New Zealand and restricted to the high alpine areas to the east of the Southern Alps of the South Island. It inhabits open, stony habitats where it forms hard, woody, greyish-white mounds that can be up to 1 m across. The tiny leaves and twigs are covered with pale hairs that trap moisture from nightly fogs, and tiny flowerheads are buried beneath the leaves. This species is often called vegetable-sheep because it resembles a resting sheep from a distance.