THOMSON AND MACKINNON — STOLON LFEEA, ETC. 183 



42. Dendronephthya umhellulijera, Kiikenthal. (Plate 11. fig. 7.) 



= Faraspongodes striata, Thomson aud Henderson. 



For description see : — 



Kiikenthal: Zool. Jahrb. xxi. 1905, p. 6.29, pi. 29. fig. 31 ; and Wiss. Ergebn. deatseh. Tiefsee- 



Exped. 1906, xiii. p. 82. 

 Thomson and Henderson : Ceylon Pearl Oyster Report, 1905, p. 277, pi. 2. figs. 2 & 7. 



Three specimens of a greyish-brown and yellowish-brown colour are referable to this 

 somewhat deceptive species of Dendronephthya, which shows very little " Stiitzbiindel." 

 The largest specimen is about 19 cm. in height, of which the stalk occupies 14 cm. 

 About 2^ cm. from the base there is a marked constriction, and the portion of the stalk 

 beneath this is 2-5 cm. in breadth and of firm texture, in contrast to the long portion 

 above, which is about 1 cm. broader and very flaccid. 



The specimen agrees with Klikenthal's description and figure, e. g. in the deep trans- 

 verse striations of the branches, in having 6-8 pairs of spindles in each of the 8 rows 

 on the authocodia, and in showing very numerous minute stellate spicules in the cortex. 

 The " Stutzbiindel " is very inconspicuous and poorly developed, and seemed at first sight 

 absent. This deceptive appearance led to a previous reference of similar forms to the 

 genus Faraspongodes. 



Localities. Seychelles, 34 fms. ; Amirante, 33 and 34 fms. 



Previously recorded from S. China Sea, Gulf of Manaar, Zanzibar. 



43. Dendronephthya multispinosa, Henderson. (Plate 11. fig. 1.) 

 For description see : — 



Thomson and Simpson : Aleyonarians of the Indian Ocean, II. Littoral, 1909. 



A beautiful colony covered with somewhat loosely disposed umbels. The stalk is 

 about 2 cm. in height, the polyparium is 5 cm. in height by about 4 in breadth. 

 At the top of the stalk there is a complete circle of foliate branches. The polyps are 

 brilliant white, the spicules of the " Stiitzbiindel " and the verruca are deep red ; the 

 general surface of the coenenchyma is orange to cream, but pink on the stalk. 



Locality. Amirante, 29 fms. 



Previously recorded from Andaman s. 



44. Dendronephthya gardineri, sp. n. (Plate 11. fig. 4; Plate 13. fig. 1; 

 Plate 14. fig. 6.) 



From a blunt base, bearing a number of short root-like attachments, the slender, 

 graceful, typically divaricate colony rises to a height of 20 cm. For the first 6 cm. the 

 trunk is bare ; then there arise a series of small foliate projections, bearing polyps round 

 their edges, and at a height of 9 cm. from the base a strongly developed foliate expansion 

 nearly encircles the stem. This has polyps all round its edges as well as on short twigs 

 from its upper surface. A little higher up, one fair-sized branch is given oft" and then 

 the main stem forks ; the " crown " of the tree is formed by the further ramifications of 

 these two main branches. The polyps are borne in groups of 3-5 on the rather long, 

 slender, divergent twigs. 



