AVITXUX THE GENUS DENDRONBPHTHYA. 65 



a uniform outline. Below the sui-face are lai-ge spaces between 

 the main branches, and some of these are tenanted by Decapod 

 Ornstaceans about 1'5 cm. in length. The colony is slightly 

 disc-shaped, and has a very short, broad sterile stalk. 



2. Branching. From the uniform otitline and the arrange- 

 ment of the umbels in large hemispherical masses, it should 

 evidently be referred to Kiikentliars section TJmbellatfe, first 

 division, gi*oup disciforviis. 



3. Colouring. Generally of a pink and orange colour; the 

 supporting bundle red. 



4. Polyp stalks not over 1 mm. long. Text-fig. 22. 



5. Polyps in small bundles of 6-10. 



6. Polyp spicules. In the anthocodial 

 armature there are 4-5 pairs of con- 

 verging spindles en chevron in each of 

 the 8 points, and above these a much 

 larger converging spindle rising almost 

 0*5 miTj. beyond the polyp. In rare 

 cases two spindles share in the pro- 

 jection, which is very characteristic. 

 Below the points there is a vague crown, 

 and there are 2-4 small intermediates 

 between the points. All these spicules 

 are whitish. """ 



In the supporting bundle about three 

 very strong dark red densely spinose b. disciformis Kiik. 

 curved spindles project beyond the an- 



thocodiae, one being stronger than the others, and these are 

 based in sinalier but still strong spindles. The largest spindle 

 measures 4 mm. in length, and shows a distinctly smooth tip 

 (cf. D. gigantea). 



7. Other spicules. The upper cortex is densely covered with 

 long curved spindles, mostly in longitudinal arrangement, many 

 of them 2 mm. in length. Some ai-e i^ed, some yellowish, while 

 others are colourless. Only some of them show the distant fine 

 spines that Kiikenthal describes ; most are covered somewhat 

 densely. 



The lower cortex shows («) stout spindles with long conical 

 tubercles : (6) very numerous small irregular stars with longish 

 prongs, which may again be divided and are suited for inter- 

 locking ; (c) large triradiates and quadriradiates covered with 

 strong tubercles, sometimes massive and compound. A typical 

 triraciiate is about 1 mm. in maximum length, which is much 

 larger than Kiikenthal notes. But, of course, they occur in 

 many sizes. 



Salient features. — We should say that this species is best 

 marked by (1) the strongly projecting 8 spindles at the tops of 

 the points, (2) the strong red supporting bundle with its longest 

 spindle smooth at the tip, and (3) the compact disc-like mode of 

 o-rowth in the full-grown colonies. It should also be noted that 



Froc. Zool. Soc— 1922, No. Y. 5 



