TRIBE II. CARYOPHYLLACEA. 363 



Glomerate ; polyps laterally in contact, and consequently prismatic. 

 Corallum having the cells radiate, the middle within consisting of 

 oblique septa and cellules converging upward into an axis ; texture 

 exterior to this middle portion, cellular. 



In a transverse section of the Columnarise, the outer portions are cel- 

 lular, as in the Cyathophylla and Clisiophylla, while the inner consist 

 of oblique septa converging upward into an axis ; and this axis ap- 

 pears to be made by a convolution of the septa, or their partial coales- 

 cence. Excepting the existence of an axis, the species are similar 

 in their essential characters to the Clisiophylla. The columnar forms 

 into which the coralla break, by a separation of the prismatic cells, are 

 supposed to characterize all the species of the genus; yet as this is not 

 necessarily of generic importance, it may prove otherwise. 



The genus Columnaria, as given in treatises, comprises, beside the 

 species here included, some that have the internal structure of the 

 Cyathophylla, an error which has arisen from allowing too much 

 importance to mere aggregation and external form. The character of 

 the axis in some species is noticed by Fleming, Parkinson, Blainville, 

 and others. The Lithostrotion of Lhywd is synonymous with the 

 Columnaria of authors. The name is of prior date ; but, besides its 

 imperfect application meaning a stone pavement it was given pre- 

 vious to the Linnsean period without reference to system, and is there- 

 fore not entitled to authority. 



Plate 26, fig. 9, part of transverse section ; 9 a, lateral surface ; 9 b, 

 and 10, vertical section through the middle of different species. 



Goldfuss, Petref. 72, pi. 24 ; Blainville, Man. strotion. Also Fleming's Brit. Animals, 

 350 ; Lhywd, Lithophylacii Brittannici 508, and Parkinson's Organic Remains, 

 Iconographia, Epist. v., tab. 23, Litho- ii. pi. 5, figs. 3 and 6. 



GENUS 



Cyathophyllidce cespitosce aut fasciculatce ; caulibus cylindricis. Coral- 

 lum cellis multiradiatis, septis internis simplicibus, sursum obliquis, 

 conicis, e lateribus productis ; axe conspicuo. 



