Derivation
Coelachne R.Br., Prodr. 187 (1810); from the Greek koilos (hollow) and achne (chaff, scale).

pulchella- Latin for pretty. Attractive in some respect.

Published in
Prodr. 187 (1810).

Habit
Annual. Culms geniculately ascending or decumbent, slender, 5–20 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes pubescent. Ligule a fringe of hairs or absent. Leaf-blades lanceolate, 0.8–3 cm long, 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex acute.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle open, linear or oblong, 4–10 cm long. Primary panicle branches spreading, 0.5–1.5 cm long.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Pedicels oblong, 0.5–1 mm long. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, comprising 2 fertile florets, without rhachilla extension, oblong or ovate, terete or dorsally compressed, 1.3–1.8 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, thinner than fertile lemma, gaping. Lower glume elliptic or orbicular, 0.7–1.2 mm long, 100% length of upper glume, 66% of length of spikelet, membranous, 3–5-nerved. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong or orbicular, 1–1.3 mm long, 66% of length of spikelet, membranous, 3–7-nerved. Upper glume apex obtuse.

Florets
Fertile florets female (upper), with the lowest dissimilar. Lowest fertile floret bisexual. Lowest lemma elliptic, 1.7 mm long, 170% of length of adjacent lemma, firmer than adjacent lemma, glabrous or hairy. Fertile lemma elliptic or ovate, 0.7–1 mm long, chartaceous, of similar consistency on margins, 0-nerved. Lemma margins ciliate, hairy below. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 100% of length of lemma. Palea surface puberulous. Anthers 2, 0.3–0.4 mm long. Grain with adherent pericarp, ovoid, 0.6–0.8 mm long. Hilum punctiform.

Continental Distribution:
Tropical Asia, Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Northern Territory, Queensland.

Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Cook.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Panicoideae: Isachneae

Notes
Native. Rare in tropical Australia. In tropical and subtropical sub-humid woodlands. Flowers July–Aug.

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