TRIBE III. MA DREP OR ACE A. 459 



26. MADREPORA PLANTAGINEA. (Lamarck.} 



M. latissime cespitosa, superne vix convexa, ramis Iwrizontalibus, et in 

 laminam complanatam subintegram infra nudam coalitis; supra ra- 

 mulis spiciformibus, 4-6'" crassis et 2-2^" longis, scepe proliferis et 

 irregularibus. Corallum caliculo apicali lato (\\%"},prominulo; la- 

 teralibus tubiformibus, appressis, valde incequalibus, scepe 2"' longis et 

 3'" crassis, validis, labio obtusis, extus subtiliter striatis, fere kvibus, 

 paucis brevissimis spar sis ; apertura vix elliptica, stella conspicud, 

 duabus lamellis prominulioribus infraque fere conniventibus ; subtus 

 super fide levi, paucis cellis perforate. 



Very broad cespitose, slightly convex ; branches horizontal, and coa- 

 lescing into a flattened lamina nearly entire, naked below, and inter- 

 rupted by an occasional break; above, branchlets spiciform, 4 to 6 

 lines thick, and 2 to 2 inches long, and often proliferous and irre- 

 gular. Corallum having the apical calicles a little prominent, and 

 broad (1 to 1J lines) ; the lateral, tubiform, appressed, very unequal, 

 often 2 lines long, and of a line broad ; stout, with an obtuse lip, 

 exterior very finely striate, smooth; aperture scarcely elliptical; 

 star quite distinct, two of the lamella? most prominent, and nearly 

 meeting below. 



The East Indies, and Singapore. Exp. Exp. Ceylon. Rev. G. A. 

 Apthorp. 



This species approaches the cerealis, which it resembles in its nearly 

 smooth and unequal calicles, and general habit; but the calicles are 

 much longer, and the apical calicle much larger. It grows to a breadth 

 of eighteen inches or more. In the under surface of the frond it re- 

 sembles the appressa, but not in its calicles, which are very unequal, 

 arid not distinctly imbricate. The rudis and acervata have much 

 stouter calicles ; the echidncea, longer and smaller apical calicles, and 

 longer calicles generally. The corymbosa has its calicles less ap- 

 pressed, scabrous, and distinctly striate, not thick-lipped, and not stel- 

 late within. 



Mad. plantaginea, Lamk., ii. 447, No. 4. Gaymard (Voy. de 1'Ast. iv. 234, pi. 19, 



Heterapora decurrens (1), Ehrenb., G. Ixix., figs. 3) cannot be recognised from the 



sp. 12. description or figure, both of which are 



The Madrepora plantaginea of Quoy and very imperfect. 



