186 VERRILL, SNYOPSIS OF 



SIIBOEDEK, GOEGONACEA. 

 FAMILY, GORGONID^:. x 



GORGONIA VENOSA Valenciennes. 



Off Madeira, in 25 fathoms, rocks. Dr. Wm. Stimpson. 



LEPTOGORGIA CUSPIDATA Verrill, nov. sp. 



Corallum broad, subflabelliform, irregularly branching 

 nearly in a plane, the principal branches arising near the 

 base divide above in an irregularly dichotomous manner, 

 forming a rather thick fasciculate clump. Branchlets 

 thick, rigid, nearly straight, tapering to a point. Cells 

 numerous, rather large, rounded, covering the surface of 

 the branchlets except along a narrow median space on 

 each side. Grooves rarely distinct except near the base. 

 Color deep purple ; cells yellow ; axis black. 



Cape St. Lucas, Cal. J. Xantus.^ (Coll. Smithsonianl 

 Institution). 



FAMILY, PLEXAURID^E Gray. 



PLEXAURA FRIABILIS Lamouroux. 



Cape of Good Hope. Dr. Wm. Stimpson. 



I refer with some doubt to this species, specimens of a 

 large dichotomous Plexaura with long, upright, cylindrical 

 branches, the terminal ones often undivided for a foot or 

 more, and about .3 of an inch in diameter, tapering but 

 little at the ends. The cells are often a little prominent 

 and evenly crowded ; the axis dark brown, scarcely com- 

 pressed, even at the axils ; the coenenchyma very spiculose 

 and friable. 



It resembles in form and general appearance P. crassa 

 (Gorgonia vermiculata Lk.) of the West Indies. 



LOPHOGORGIA PALMA Edw. and Haime. 



Gorgonia palma Pallas, 17G6. Gorgonia flammea Ellis and Solander, 

 1786. 



False Bay, Cape of Good Hope. Not rare in 20 

 fathoms, rocks, Oct. 1853. Dr. Wm. Stimpson. 



