TRIBE III. MADREPORACEA. 463 



its unequal, tubiform, thin, though not fragile, calicles, and the flat- 

 tened obtuse summits of the branches consisting of numerous crowded 

 calicles, among which the apical calicle is sometimes with difficulty 

 distinguished. It has the general habit of the plantaginea. 



C. Fastigiatce ; caliculis breviter orbiculato-nariformibus, subvalidis ; ramis tenuiter 

 valdeque subdivisis. 



31. MADREPORA RAMICULOSA. (Dana.} 



M. subfastigiata, stride ramosa et valde ramiculosa, ramiculis, creberri- 

 mis, subteretibus, 1^-2'" crassis. Corallum vix porosum, kve; cali- 

 culo apicali fere 2'" exserto et 1'" scepe latiore ; later alibus y remotis, 

 breviter orbiculato-narifarmibus, subvalidis, ramorum cettis immersis 

 cum stelld conspicua. 



Subfastigiate, close ramose, and very minutely subdivided into 

 branchlets ; ramicles much crowded, subterete, 1 to 2 lines thick. 

 Corallum slightly porous, smooth ; apical calicle nearly 2 lines pro- 

 minent, and often over a line in breadth ; the lateral, remote, short, 

 round-nariform, rather stout; cells of the branches immersed, and 

 having a very distinct star. 



Plate 35, fig. 4, part of a branch of corallum, natural size ; 4 a, ex- 

 tremity of a branchlet, natural size. 



Feejee Islands. Exp. Exp. 



Forms spreading clumps, very much subdivided into slender branch- 

 lets, and constituting together a zoophyte with an even top, or a little 

 convex. The small calicles upon the upper branchlets are remote, 

 and occasionally in short series. Upon the lower exterior branchlets 

 of the clump, the calicles are nearly or quite obsolete. Under the 

 microscope the surface appears very finely spinuloso-striate, and 

 scarcely porous. One of the specimens obtained is about eight 

 inches high, and a foot broad above, and is somewhat turbinate in 

 shape, with the top a little convex. 



