MADREPORES. 187 
siderable depth, radiating into numerous lamelle, forming a widely- 
branching arborescent coral, externally striated, internally furrowed, 
and truncate at the extremities. The animals are actiniform, furnished 
with numerous pinnate tentacula, in the centre of which is the polygonal 
Fig. 71.—Madrepora plantaginea (Lamarck), 
mouth. In Lobophylia, the tentacula are cylindrical, the cells 
conical, sometimes elongated and sinuous, with a sub-circular opening 
terminating the few branches of the polyp, which is fixed, turbinate, 
and striated. The Plantain Madrepore, Madrepora plantaginea 
(Lamarck), is an interesting species, the polyps presenting them- 
selves, as in Fig. 71, in tufts, with slender and prolific branches. 
