30 



Dendronephthya orientalis, Henderson. 



A large specimen, compact in appearance and much flattened, measuring 

 11 cm. in length and 7 "5 cm. in breadth. 



Fig. 16. D. orientalis. 



Fig. 17. D. orieutalis. — b, Spicules of stalk coi'- 

 tex ; c. Spicules of stalk canal walls. 



The stalk or trunk is short, tiiick, granular in ai)i)earance and leathery in 

 texture, measuring 3 "5 cm. in length, almost one-third of the total height, and 

 furnished at the basal end with short stumps which may be the remains of 

 stolons. 



The polyparium is large, much flattened, somewhat regular in shape and 

 roughly oval in outline. One side of the polyparium is flat and thickly covered 

 with branches and polyps, while the other side is slightly rounded and more 

 open. From the lower ])art of the main stem a number of small branches are 

 given off; a little higher the stem gives off two large cylindrical branches, then 

 rises entire for a considerable height, when it divides into two portions which 

 are short and cylindrical in shape. From the whole surface of the main stem 

 and branches smaller branches arise, and by divisions give rise to the twigs from 

 which the polyp-stalks spring. These branches are on the whole cylindrical 

 in shai)e in the lower part, often flattening a little at the point of division and 

 u'iving ofl' flattish smaller branches or twigs which lie more or less in one plane ; 

 or the lower part may be considerably flattened and the upi)er twigs branch in 

 a plane which lies almost at a right angle to the lower portion. The lower 

 branches, two in number, are flattened leaf-like structures ; one is much larger 

 than the other, and the two with their broad bases almost sui-round the stem, 

 and being reflexed, form a collar hiding the upper portion of the stalk. 

 From the upper surface of these branches smaller cylindrical branches arise. 

 One of these arising from the larger flattened branch reaches considerable pro- 

 portions. The main stem itself in its lower part is somewhat flattened in the 

 plane of the polyparium. 



The polyps are almost all on the surface, arranged in small bundles of 



