Corallum caespito-corymbose. Stems and branches sparingly coalescent, very slightly tapering; undersurface not flattened, with few short stunted branchlets bearing few radials; scattered, distant, subimmersed corallites litter undersurface. One stem almost 1 cm across at base, 8 cm long. Upper surface of stem and branches covered with scalelike corallites – broad, closely adnate so calices not visible at side, unequal in size. Terminal branchlets tapering, 2-4.5 cm high, around 6 mm diameter at base; central ones sparingly proliferous but peripheral ones very branched; most are sinuous, irregular in diameter; covering radial corallites broad, closely adnate at base gradually diminishing in width but more projecting towards apex.

Axial corallites cylindrical, 2 mm wide, 1.5 mm exsert; wall porous, costate, its rim somewhat rounded.

Radial on branchlets grading from very broad (at most 3 mm across) at base to very narrow ones (around 1 mm across) just below axial. Radial on upper region flat labellate or spatulate, making 30 degrees angle with surface; projecting lower wall 3 mm long, expanding fan-shaped, oftentimes almost flat, its edge truncate; upper wall absent or very slightly projecting. Those on peripheral branchlets more widely projecting, (45 degrees) narrower, their calices facing generally obliquely inward, wall thinner, more porous. On basal region of branchlets, radial becoming wider, more closely appressed, imbricate; mural edge bent inward accentuating scalelike appearance hiding calices, similar to those on branches and stem.

Septa in axial 6, equal; narrow just below calicinal mouth, widening downward so they almost meet at bottom; very occasionally 1 or 2 narrow secondaries present. Those in radials in 2 cycles – directives broadest, secondaries sometimes incomplete cycle.

Walls of radials costulate, older ones striato-echinulate on basal portion of corallite but big ones striato-echinulate throughout, this arrangement extending into intercalicinal areas. Echinules uniform in height, regular in distribution giving general surface neat, velvety appearance. Narrow intercalicinal areas hardly show reticulum, small holes visible here and there.

Remark:The most remarkable feature of this species is the broad, closely adnate radials resembling imbricate scales covering the basal portion of the branchlets and the upper surface of the stems and branches

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.