MADREPORA, Ins 
often divided above into two or four branchlets, many of which, especially near the centre of 
the corallum, bear numerous ascending proliferations. Axial corallites 2:5 to 3 mm. diameter, 
rarely more than 1 mm. exsert, margin scarcely rounded. The central branchlets bear 
crowded proliferations, 7 mm. long and 4 mm. thick, with crowded immersed corallites 
between ; others are dimidiate and appressed, 2°5 to 4 mm. long and 1°5 mm. thick; wall thin 
but firm. The peripheral branchlets have few proliferous corallites; most are subequal, 
nariform with an elongate lip, and a little compressed, 3 mm. long and 1°3 mm. thick. Star 
moderately prominent, the directive septa very broad. Corallum rather porous; surface 
finely echinulate ; wall striato-echinulate. 
Mauritius. 
a. Mauritius. Purchased. 78. 2.4.6. (Type.) 
109. Madrepora indica. (Plate XXXIV. fig. A.) 
Corallum cespitose, subcorymbose, or consistmg of a cluster of slender suberect 
branches from an oblique base. Diameter of the colony about 17 cm., height 14cm. The 
base may be broad or narrow. Branches over 1 cm. diameter near the base, divided into 
two or more branchlets often at about the same point, each again forked and often proliferous 
near the apex; distal divisions 2 to 4 cm. long and 6 mm. thick, but the thickness is variable 
—in one specimen only 5 mm., in another a few of the branchlets are 10 mm. in diameter. 
Axial corallites cylindrical, 2 to 2°5, rarely 3 mm. diameter; primary septa equal and well 
developed ; in corallites of 3 mm. diameter a narrow second cycle is also present. The 
radial corallites are nearly all immersed except on the distal divisions, and sometimes also on 
the basal parts of these; the prominent corallites are crowded, more or less appressed, 
nariform, half-tubular or sublabellate, somewhat compressed near the apex of a branchlet, 
becoming short, firm-walled, and more open below. Stouter branched specimens have the 
corallite wall thicker than in other cases, and many of the smaller corallites between them 
have a spiniform wall. In one specimen the corallites are mostly of one type; in another, with 
slender branchlets, some of the corallites remain more or less prominent nearly to the base 
of the branchlets. In the prominent corallites the septa are imperfectly developed; usually 
only the directives are recognizable, and the outer one is a little broader than the inner. In 
the immersed corallites the primary septa are narrow and subequal, but the directives are 
stouter than the others; sometimes a more or less complete second cycle is present. 
Corallum porous; surface covered with spinose plates ; wall usually fragile, strongly striate, 
echinulate at the base. 
Indian Ocean. 
a—c. Ramesvaram, Madras Mus. 88. 11. 25. 13; 93. 4. 7. 188 & 189. (Types.) 
