Derivation
Calyptochloa C.E.Hubb., Hooker's Icon. Pl. 33: t. 3210 (1933). From Greek kalyptos (hidden, covered) and chloe (grass), alluding to the hidden nature of the axilliary cleistogamous spikelets.

gracillima- Latin for very delicate. Of slender habit.

Published in
Hooker's Icon. Pl. 33: t. 3210, 1–3 (1933).

Habit
Perennial. Stolons present. Culms decumbent, 10–30 cm tall, wiry, disarticulating at the nodes. Mid-culm internodes ridged, pilose, with tubercle-based hairs. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Lateral branches sparsely branched. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths wider than blade at the collar, ribbed, pilose, with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.25–0.4 mm long. Collar pubescent. Leaf-blades linear to lanceolate, 1.2–4 cm long, 2–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose, with tubercle-based hairs. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence solid, a raceme (spike-like). Peduncle pilose above. Raceme 1, paucilateral, 1–1.5 cm long, bearing few fertile spikelets, bearing 5–7 fertile spikelets on each. Rhachis subterete, pubescent on surface. Spikelet packing adaxial, lax.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels linear, semiterete, 0.3–0.4 mm long, scaberulous. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, ovate, dorsally compressed, acute, 3–5.1 mm long, falling entire. Spikelet callus pubescent, base obtuse.

Glumes
Glumes thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume 0.05–0.1 mm long. Lower glume surface glabrous or hairy. Upper glume ovate, 3.4–4.7 mm long, 130% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, herbaceous, 7-nerved. Upper glume surface tuberculate, pilose or setose, hairy below. Upper glume apex obtuse.

Florets
Basal sterile floret 1, without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume, ovate, 2.6–4.4 mm long, 100% of length of spikelet, herbaceous, 5–9-nerved, tuberculate, pilose, obtuse. Fertile lemma elliptic, dorsally compressed, lanceolate in profile, 2.4–4 mm long, chartaceous, pallid, 5-nerved. Lemma lateral nerves obscure. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma margins flat, exposing palea. Lemma apex acuminate, 1-awned. Median (principal) awn 1.5–3 mm long overall, not or scarcely exserted from spikelet, limb smooth. Palea elliptic, involute, 100% of length of lemma, chartaceous, 2-nerved, without keels. Palea apex obtuse or acute. Lodicules 2, cuneate, fleshy. Anthers 0.5–2 mm long. Stigmas 2. Grain with adherent pericarp, ellipsoid, 1.6–1.8 mm long. Embryo 30% of length of grain. Hilum punctiform. Endosperm farinose. Disseminule comprising a spikelet. Cleistogenes in upper sheaths.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Queensland: Cook, North Kennedy, South Kennedy, Port Curtis, Leichhardt, Burnett, Darling Downs, Maranoa.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Panicoideae: Paniceae

Notes
Endemic. In Brigalow forests, tropical and subtropical sub-humid woodlands, and semi-arid shrub woodlands. Flowers Jan.–Aug.

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