The soft corals, a suborder of Alcyonaria, an order of marine coelenterates. They consist of a firm mass, throughout which calcareous spicules are dispersed. The surface is studded with hydralike polyps with tentacles. They are found attached to rocks and seaweed.

Alcyonium digitatum is popularly called dead men's fingers; A. gelatinosum is phosphorescent and inhabits deep water.