Interesting Plant Galls From North Suffolk & one almost.
Whilst walking through “Sparrows Nest” Park Lowestoft on 12th December I came across a Forsythia Shrub Forsythia x intermedia covered in small galls very much like a tiny Witches Broom Taphrina sp. On examination the gall looked very much more like the tiny fingers of a clenched fist. I collected a single specimen and referred to the Galls of Norfolk publication by my good friends Barbara & Rex Hancy.
Rex states that the gall is not caused by a wasp as in the usual case but is of bacterium Coronybacterium fascians. Although I was satisfied by this explanation I sent the Gall to Rex for: a) confirmation as there was no illustration & b) to enquire as to whether it was rare.
Rex replied that the gall is common in some places but only where it is out of reach of tidy gardeners. The gall, although not detrimental to the health of the tree looks unsightly and is often removed and destroyed.
Yes it was indeed the gall mentioned in his publication but I should add a question mark to the gall causer. There is much work going on at the moment to work out whether its s a form of fasciation or in fact an insect gall. I wait with baited breath.
On the 22nd February 2001 I was visiting the northern edge of Kessingland Near Lowestoft. Whilst walking close to the base of the clay cliffs below the “Red House” along the beach I came across a small bramble Rubus fruiticosus agg.
On the stem of the plant there was the gall of the Midge Lasioptera rubi the gall consists of a multilarval swelling that clasps the stem. At a distance and to the untrained eye they can look like the similar Robins Pincushion Diplolepis rosae.
Immediately below this on a dead Hawkweed Hieracium agg was the many chambered cigar gall of the Wasp Aulacidea hiercii. On looking around me there were no other galls present on either of the two species mentioned.
Why wasp’s gall in close association to another species is one of Natures mysteries and promotes more interest in plant galls and the gall maker.
Finally I have continued in my quest to search out and record the occurrence of the Broom Gall Eriophyes genistae, now changed to Cecidophyes genistae in Suffolk. This gall is found on Broom Cytisus sp. My most recent record came from Haddiscoe Bridge just over the border into Norfolk. TM 451991. There were many green galls clasping the stems and I was able to collect some more specimens so that I may hatch the mite.
On discussing the gall with some more Cecidologists (The posh word for gall enthusiasts) they had come to the conclusion that all the brooms that played host to this gall came from broom that had been planted along roadsides by the local road authorities. It may transpire that the gall is from shrubs from the same nursery, thus the reason that the gall is not found in Suffolk & that it is rare in Norfolk. The gall does seem to thrive in a sheltered south facing aspect & may have been killed of when facing another direction
Whilst walking through “Sparrows Nest” Park Lowestoft on 12th December I came across a Forsythia Shrub Forsythia x intermedia covered in small galls very much like a tiny Witches Broom Taphrina sp. On examination the gall looked very much more like the tiny fingers of a clenched fist. I collected a single specimen and referred to the Galls of Norfolk publication by my good friends Barbara & Rex Hancy.
Rex states that the gall is not caused by a wasp as in the usual case but is of bacterium Coronybacterium fascians. Although I was satisfied by this explanation I sent the Gall to Rex for: a) confirmation as there was no illustration & b) to enquire as to whether it was rare.
Rex replied that the gall is common in some places but only where it is out of reach of tidy gardeners. The gall, although not detrimental to the health of the tree looks unsightly and is often removed and destroyed.
Yes it was indeed the gall mentioned in his publication but I should add a question mark to the gall causer. There is much work going on at the moment to work out whether its s a form of fasciation or in fact an insect gall. I wait with baited breath.
On the 22nd February 2001 I was visiting the northern edge of Kessingland Near Lowestoft. Whilst walking close to the base of the clay cliffs below the “Red House” along the beach I came across a small bramble Rubus fruiticosus agg.
On the stem of the plant there was the gall of the Midge Lasioptera rubi the gall consists of a multilarval swelling that clasps the stem. At a distance and to the untrained eye they can look like the similar Robins Pincushion Diplolepis rosae.
Immediately below this on a dead Hawkweed Hieracium agg was the many chambered cigar gall of the Wasp Aulacidea hiercii. On looking around me there were no other galls present on either of the two species mentioned.
Why wasp’s gall in close association to another species is one of Natures mysteries and promotes more interest in plant galls and the gall maker.
Finally I have continued in my quest to search out and record the occurrence of the Broom Gall Eriophyes genistae, now changed to Cecidophyes genistae in Suffolk. This gall is found on Broom Cytisus sp. My most recent record came from Haddiscoe Bridge just over the border into Norfolk. TM 451991. There were many green galls clasping the stems and I was able to collect some more specimens so that I may hatch the mite.
On discussing the gall with some more Cecidologists (The posh word for gall enthusiasts) they had come to the conclusion that all the brooms that played host to this gall came from broom that had been planted along roadsides by the local road authorities. It may transpire that the gall is from shrubs from the same nursery, thus the reason that the gall is not found in Suffolk & that it is rare in Norfolk. The gall does seem to thrive in a sheltered south facing aspect & may have been killed of when facing another direction
