Characters: Colonies are irregular thick plates with columnar upgrowths. Corallites are crowded and immersed; those on upgrowths have a slight formation of a lower lip. The coenosteum is coarse, with a light texture.
Colour: Pale brown or blue (which may photograph purple).
Similar species: Montipora cocosensis, which has less compact corallites. See also M. peltiformis.