206 CLASS III.— ORDER II. 



COMPACT. 



24. GoRGONiA s^nc^fif. Reticulated ; meshes of the 

 net-work rather lengthened, and irregular ; branches 

 compressed at the sides ; polypi tuberculous, dis- 

 persed, and very compact ; axe compressed, almost 

 flat, and brown ; rind thin, downy, and purple ; height 

 three decimetres. 



PROJECTING. 



25. GoRGONiA exserta. Cylindrical, and branch- 

 ing ; branches alternate ; polypi projecting ; rind 

 scaly. 



Seas of South America. 



VIOLET. 



26. GoRGONiA violacea. Stem compressed, branch- 

 ing, and pinnated ; polypi projecting, almost qua- 

 drangular ; rind violet. 



American seas. 



TUBERCULAR. 



27. GoRGONiA tuherculata. Stem compressed, very 

 thick, with a broad base ; branches dispersed, and 

 widely anastomosed ; irregularly cylindrical, and al- 

 most fan-shaped ; polypi placed in scattered tuber- 

 cles, and rather numerous ; the opening large, and very 

 frequently obliterated by the body of the dried ani- 

 mal ; rind thin, of a deep red fawn ; axe brown, 

 horny, and shining, formed in concentric layers; 

 height from five to seven decimetres; diameter of 

 some of the branches four or five centimetres. 



Coast of Corsica. 



V 



