The paddle form of Millepora tends to form wider, more irregular upright paddles than the columnar form, although it could be a different growth form of the same species. This is common on some very shallow inter-island lagoon reefs. This form bleached out very quickly when the warm water started hitting the atoll starting in 2009, and where we have looked the colonies are now largely dead and covered with algae.
Some forms look a lot like the columnar form.
The next few photos show colonies that appear to be the paddle variety, but many have branching extensions growing from the tops of the paddles.
The one below is in the process of losing its color. The photo was taken on 11 November 2013 during a bleaching episode.
Created 4 April 2020