astræidæ

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. A family of aporose selerodermatous stone-corals, of the order Sclerodermata, class Actinozoa; the star-corals: so called from the radiated or star-like arrangement of their tentacles. The family is a large and important one, containing several genera, the animals of which largely contribute to the formation of coral reefs. Its limits vary with different authors. Also spelled Astreidæ.