Zool.; pl. actiniæ, actinias. [mod. L. f. (by Linn.) Gr. ἀκτῖν- ray.] prop. A genus of Zoophytes belonging to the family Actiniadæ; pop. extended to any animal of the family, whether of the genus Actinia or one of its congeners; a Sea-Anemone, or animal of the Sea-Anemone group.
1748. Sir J. Hill, Nat. Hist., 94. The body of the actinia is of a naturally cylindrick, but variable figure.
1767. Ellis, Actinia, in Phil. Trans., LVII. 428. The Actinia, called by old authors … Urtica marina, from its supposed property of stinging, is now more properly called by some late English authors the Animal flower.
1850. Dana, Geol., i. 10. The waters abound in … asterias or star-fish, and the variously coloured actinias or sea-flowers.
1855. Kingsley, Glaucus (1878), 112. Beautiful Actiniæ filled the tiny caverns with living flowers.
