Characters: Colonies form encrusting or tiered laminae. Laminae have vertical walls of irregular height, radiating towards the margins. These walls separate individual or small groups of corallites, which are consequently widely spaced.
Colour: Dark brownish-green.
Similar Species: Pectinia lactuca, which has similar but larger valleys with taller walls and less tendency to form tiered plates. See also P. maxima.
Habitat: Usually algae dominated rock.
Abundance: Uncommon.
Taxonomic Note: Returned to the genus Physophyllia by Huang, Benzoni, Fukami et al. (2014) apparently from re-examination of Wells' holotype, but retained here as a Pectinia on morphological grounds, pending further study.
Taxonomic References: Wells (1935); Veron (2000a);
Identification Guides: Nishihira and Veron (1995) as Physophyllia ayleni;
