Corallum bushy, closely arborescent; 14 cm high, 16 cm wide; very proliferous stems standing erect from limited creeping base. Most branches and branchlets arise by wide angle, then arch upward. Branches and branchlets very crowded but without coalescence, gradually tapering to broad axial corallites; branches closely subdivided in apical region. Stem irregularly studded with subimmersed corallites, so distant as to be 0.5-1 cm apart in some cases; branches have closer (3-4 mm apart) low nariform corallites, gradually increasing in length and becoming crowded towards distal region of branchlets. One stem 13 mm across at base, 12 cm high; a branch 8 mm diameter at base, 7 cm long; a branchlet 5.5 mm across at base, 2.4 cm long.

Axial corallite cylindrical or slightly conical, 2.5 mm across, 1.5 mm exsert; wall moderately thick, porous, striato-echinulate; calice around 1 mm wide. Septa in one cycle, thin, reaching half radius points; directives not distinguishable.

Radials an apical region of branchlet closely appressed with lower lip slightly convex, pressing calice against branchlet; lower down, corallite becomes elongated nariform with rim horizontal so calice faces upward; length and spread of corallite become less and less towards base of branchlets and into branches where they are farther apart. About middle of branchlet, radial 2 mm across, 3-4 mm long, adnate throughout length, except when bearing bud. Wall slightly thick, edge rounded, surface striato-echinulate, the echinules fine, evenly disposed, uniform in height. Septa one cycle, quite wide but not always extending throughout depth of calice; directives slightly distinguishable.

Intercalicinal areas dense; reticulation not very obvious, small meshes visible here and there. Entire surface pilose, the spines similar to those on calicinal wall.

Remarks:This coral can be distinguished by its distant corallites on the lower areas, its method of branching and its complete covering of fine, even spines.

Source:Nemenzo F (1967) Systematic studies on Philippine shallow water scleractinians: VI. Suborder Astrocoeniida (Montipora and Acropora). Part I - Text. Nat. Appli. Sci. Bull. 20 (1-2): 1-141.