400 Verrill, JVotes on Radiata. 



the branches. Their brief diagnosis is as follows : " Ramosa, venta- 

 lina, alba, calycibus prominulis, sparsis. Hab. prope Panama," 



"Height 10 centim., branches all, as well as trunk, 2 mill, broad." 

 The name, alha, was used by Lamarck for a " Gorgonia!^'' of which 

 the generic affinities are still unknown,*- and, therefore, cannot with 

 propriety be used for this, even if it was intended for the present 

 species. Esper also gave the name, Gorgonia palma^ var. alha, to a 

 form which proves to be distinct from his G. palma. 



LeptOgorgia flexilis Verrill, sp. nov. (LiTiGORGiA FLEXiLis, 1st Ed.). 

 Plate V, figure 11. 



Corallum when young ilabelliform, with slender, elongated, erect 

 branches; when lai'ge scarcely flabelliform, often bushy or fascic- 

 ulated, with long, slender, drooping branches. The trunk gives oiF at 

 distances varying from a quarter inch to an inch, alternately from 

 each side, large primary branches, some of which are often nearly as 

 large as the main stem. These arise mostly at an acute angle and 

 give off secondary branches in the same way, but at greater dista ices, 

 mostly 1 or 2 inches. These branches again subdivide, giving oif in 

 a subpinnate, often secund manner, a few very long, round, slender, 

 nearly parallel branchlets, nearly as large as themselves, and from ] 

 to 12 inches in length without subdivisions. These diminish very 

 gradually toward the ends and in full grown specimens droop some- 

 what like the branches of the weeping-willow. Possibly, however, 

 this may not be the case while living. 



The trunk and main branches are frequently somewhat compressed, 

 but often round, and are marked by several strong longitudinal 

 grooves. The cells are broad-oval, rather large for the genus, not 

 prominent, usually open, arranged upon the branchlets in four or five 

 irregular longitudinal rows on each side, leaving very narrow, naked 

 median spaces ; on the larger branches they form two broad lateral 

 bands, made up of many rows. They are not crowded, the spaces 

 between them being mostly three or four times their owii diameters. 

 Color dull reddish brown, uniform throughout. Height of largest 

 specimen about 2 feet; breadth 10 inches ; diameter of trunk -25; of 

 main branches "15 to '20 ; of branchlets at origin '10 to '12 ; near tips 

 •04 to -08; of cells "015. 



A Panama specimen, owing doubtless to an unfavorable location, 



* Dr. Kolliker has sent spicula from the original type, wliicli indicate tliat it is a 

 Plexaura, therefore I have adopted alba for this. — Reprint. 



