34 BULLETIN OF THE 



Plexaura homomalla Lamouroux, Polyp. Flex. 1816. 



Svn. Goryonia homomalla Esper. — Florida ; L. Agassiz. — Bermuda; 

 A. S. Biekmore. 



The cells of this species sometimes liave the borders prominent. 



Plexaura flexuosa Lamx. Polyp. Flex. 181G. 



Svn. Eutiicea furcaia Ehr. 1834; Gorgonia anguicidus Daxa, 1846 ■ 

 ? Plexaura rjiipiilalis Val. 1855 ; Plexaura salicornoides M. Edw. 1857. 

 This species varies greatly in form and color, as well as in the degree ol 



prominence of the cells, which depends upon the state of contraction of 

 the polyps when dried. The color is most commonly either dull wine-red, 

 or grayish yellow. ■ — Florida and West Indies ; L. Agassiz. 



Plexaura crassa Lamx. Polyp. Flex. 1816. 



Svn. Gorgonia crassa Ellis and Sol. p. 01, pi. IS, fig. 3, 1780 (non 

 JZunicea crassa M. Edw., nee Gorgonia crassa Dana); Gorgonia porosa 

 Esp. l'lanz. tab. X. (form with large cells) ; Gorgonia antipathes (pars') 

 Esp. tab. XXIII. (1789) ; Gorgonia vermiculata Lamk. 1816; Plexaura 

 macroegthara Lamx.', 1. c. p. 429, 1816; Plexaura friabilis (pars) Lamx., 

 1. c. p. 430; do. Exp. Methodique, p. 35, pi. 18, fig. 3, 1821; Plexaura 

 antipathes Eiik., 1834 (non Gorgonia antipathes Lixx.) ; Gorgonia vermicu- 

 lata Dana, 1840 ; Plexaura arbusculum Duch., An. rad. des Antilles (1850). 



There is no American species known to us. except, the present, to which 

 the description of Ellis can apply, while it agrees perfectly with this. The 

 character of having a very black axis, wry small at the extremities, 

 is especially characteristic, and, also, of having "long fleshy branches that 

 bend a little out, and then grow upright," and, in addition, tin- " violet 

 flesh," and " scattered arrangement, of the cells" can leave no question of 

 its identity. The figure quoted above, of which Ellis gave no explanation, 

 agrees perfectly with his description and with alcoholic specimens in the Mu- 

 seum. — Florida; L. Agassiz. — Bermuda; A. S. Liekniore. 



Plexaura diehotoma Dana, Zob'ph. 1846. 



Svn. Gorgonia diehotoma Esp., l'lanz. Gorg. tab. XIV. (1788); Gor- 

 gonia mullicauda (pars) Lamk. Hist. An. s. Vert. L81G : Gorgonia heteropora 

 Lamk., 1. c. 1816; Plexaura heteropora Lamx. Polyp. Flex. (1810); 

 "litt (Plexaura) diehotoma (pars) Dana, Zooph. 1846 : Gorgonia crassa 

 Dana. Zooph. 1846 : Gorgonia brevis (young) DuCHASSAlNG, An. rad. des 

 Ant. p. 20 (1850); Eunicea mullicauda M. Low. Corall. 1857; f PI 



lis M. Low. I.e. I. p. 150, 1857. — Florida; L. Agassiz. — St. Thomas; 

 Dr. Otis. 



This species varies greatly in appearance according to the mode of pres- 

 ervation and the state of contraction of the cells, and for this reason much 

 confusion has arisen in regard to its synonymy. In the Museum there is a 

 specimen labelled Gorgonia diehotoma by Dana, with the exterior in great 



