TRIBE I. ASTR^EACEA. 275 



East Indies. Lamarck. 



This species is supposed to grow from a central attachment. It has 

 the surface of a Monticularia, and is united with that genus by La- 

 marck. It is placed here on the ground of its compact texture and 

 mode of growth. 



Monticularia folium, Lamarck, ii. 392, Monticularia folium, Deslongchamps, En- 

 No. 1. eye. 556. 

 , Blainville, Man. 363, pi. 57, fig. 1. 



II. Merulirue ramosce. 



6. MERULINA SCABRICULA. (Dana.) 



M. ramosa, ramis subdivaricatis, " crassis, stzpe coalitis; flavo-umbrina, 

 virescens, tentaculis minutis. Corattum ramis subangulatis et ob- 

 solete compressis, apice truncatis; lamellis confertis et apice non 

 lazioribus, transversis, subcequalibus, scabrose serrulatis ; collibus 

 brevibus, obliquis, obtusis. 



Ramose, branches subdivaricate, often coalescing, ^ of an inch 

 thick ; colour yellowish-umber, greenish ; tentacles minute. Co- 

 rallum with the branches subangular, and obsoletely compressed, 

 truncate at apex, lamellae crowded, and not becoming more lax at 

 apex, transverse, even, scabrosely serrulate ; ridges short, oblique, 

 obtuse. 



Plate 16, fig. 2, view of corallum ; 2 a, view of the animals, en- 

 larged ; 2 b, transverse section of branch, enlarged. 



* 



Feejee Islands. Exp. Exp. 



The clumps are even-topped, much branched, six to eight inches 

 high, and a foot across, and the branches often coalescing, even at the 

 tips. They are usually alive for three and a half inches. The neatly 

 crowded transverse lamellae of the small ridges, and the obtuse trun- 

 cate extremities of the branches, as broad as below, and with the 

 lamella as close and even, at once distinguish the species. 



