Colony shape

The overall shape of a colony
 

Character State	Definition	Illustration
massive	Mound-shaped or encrusting colony [example: Siderastrea stellata]
branching plates	Colony composed of elongate platy projections [example: Pavona sp.A]
platy (corallites on one side of plate)	Flattened colony with calices on only one side [example: Agaricia fragilis]
platy (corallites on both sides of plate)	Flattened colony with calices on both sides [example: Undaria agaricites]