Plant Galls
Plant galls are not plants in their own right, but areas of plant tissue that have grown abnormally in reaction to disturbance caused by another organism. These organisms can be fungi, bacteria, insects or mites. Many of those that can be commonly seen on a wide variety of plants are caused by attack from insects or mites. Because of their structure, it is often possible to identify the creature that caused the gall without actually seeing the creature. Some plant galls are so common that they have been given common names, and are perhaps familiar to many people - even if they don't know what they are. An example of this may be the Marble Gall of oak trees.
An excellent guide to the identification of galls is the FSC publication British Plant Galls, by Margaret Redfern and Peter Shirley, with illustrations by Michael Bloxham.
In the list below of galls that I have found locally, they are presented in alphabetical order, using their scientific name.
|
Species
|
Common Name
|
Type of Causer
|
Host
|
Locations
|
| Aceria erinea | Mite | Walnut | Wanstead Park 11/06/2010 | |
| Aceria genistae | Mite | Broom | Wanstead Park 02/08/2011 | |
| Aceria ilicis | Mite | Holm Oak | City of London Cemetery, 05/03/2013 | |
| Aceria lateannulatus | Mite | Lime | Wanstead Park 04/07/2005 | |
| Aceria macrochelus | Mite | Field Maple | Wanstead Flats, 25/08/2011 | |
| Aceria macrorhynchus | Mite | Sycamore | Wanstead Park, 11/06/2010 | |
| Aceria pseudoplatani | Mite | Sycamore | Wanstead Park, 10/07/2013 | |
| Andricus aries | Ramshorn Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Pedunculate Oak | Wanstead Flats, 26/07/2008; Wanstead Park, 08/04/2009 |
| Andricus fecundator | Artichoke Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Pedunculate Oak | Wanstead Park, 14/07/2007 |
| Andricus grossulariae | Gooseberry Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Pedunculate Oak | Bush Wood North, 05/05/2008 |
| Andricus kollari | Marble Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Pedunculate Oak | Sewage Works Site, 17/03/2008 |
| Andricus quercuscalicis | Knopper Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Pedunculate Oak | Wanstead Park, 19/07/2007 |
| Andricus testaceipes | Barnacle Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Sycamore | Wanstead Flats, 17/12/2014 |
| Aphelonyx cerricola ? | Parasitic Wasp | Turkey Oak | Wanstead Park, 29/09/2008 | |
| Biorhiza pallida | Oak Apple Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Pedunculate Oak | Wanstead Flats, 28/04/2008 |
| Contarinia tiliarum | Fly (a gall midge) | Lime | Wanstead Flats, 01/06/2008 | |
| Cynips quercusfolii | Cherry Gall | Fly (a gall wasp) | Pedunculate Oak | Wanstead Flats, 25/08/2011 |
| Dasineura acrophila ? | Fly (a gall midge) | Ash | Wanstead Park, 20/06/2008 | |
| Dasineura plicatrix ? | Fly (a gall midge) | Bramble | Capel Road garden, 26/04/2014 | |
| Dasineura tortilis | Fly (a gall midge) | Alder | Wanstead Park, 29/07/2008 | |
| Diplolepis rosae | Robin's Pin-cushion | Parasitic Wasp | Dog Rose | Sewage Works Site, 01/08/1999 |
| Diplolepis sp. | Rose Pea Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Dog Rose | Wanstead Park, 27/06/2007 |
| Eriophyes exilis ? | Mite | Lime | Wanstead Park, 11/06/2010 | |
| Eriophyes laevis | Mite | Alder | Wanstead Park, 29/07/2008 | |
| Eriophyes tetanothorax ? | Mite | Willow | Wanstead Park, 05/06/2008 | |
| Eriophyes tiliae | Nail Gall | Mite | Lime | Wanstead Park, 23/07/2005 |
| Eriosoma lanuginosum | Pouch Gall | Aphid | Elm | Wanstead Park, 20/06/2008 |
| Eriosoma sp. | Leaf-twist Gall | Aphid | Elm | Wanstead Park, 17/05/2006 |
| Exobasidium ? | Fungi | Rhododendron | City of London Cemetery, 15/09/2008 | |
| Hartigiola annulipes | Fly ( a gall midge) | Beech | Wanstead Park, 22/08/2011 | |
| Iteomyia caprea ? | Fly | Willow | Wanstead Park, 18/06/2005 | |
| Neuroterus albipes | Smooth Spangle Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Pedunculate Oak | Wanstead Park, 30/08/2008 |
| Neuroterus numismalis | Silk Button Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Sessile Oak | Wanstead Park, 31/07/2008 |
| Neuroterus quercusbaccarum | Oak Spangle Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Pedunculate Oak | Wanstead Flats, 11/07/2007; Wanstead Park |
| Neuroterus saliens | Sea Anemone Gall | Parasitic Wasp | Turkey Oak | Wanstead Park, 30/07/2008 |
| Phanacis hypochoeridis | Hymenopteran Wasp | Common Cat's-ear | Wanstead Flats, 31/05/2017 | |
| Physemocecis ulmi | blister gall | Fly | Elm | Wanstead Park, 05/05/2005 |
| Phytoptus abnormis | Mite | Lime | Wanstead Park, 02/11/2012 | |
| Psyllopsis fraxini | Leaflet roll gall | Psyllid Bug | Ash | Sewage Works Site, 16/07/2008 |
| Puccina smyrnii ? | Rust | Alexanders | Wanstead Flats, 04/01/2016 | |
| Rabdophoga salicis ? | Gall midge | Salix | Wanstead Flats 25/08/2016 | |
| Taphrina pruni | Fungus | Blackthorn | Sewage Works Site, 25/05/2015 | |
| Tetraneura ulmi | Aphid | Elm | Wanstead Park, 05/06/2008 | |
| Trioza remota | Pimple Gall | Psyllid Bug | Holm Oak | Wanstead Flats, 21/05/2008; Wanstead Park |
| Urophora cardui | Fly | Creeping Thistle |
Sewage Works Site, 12/09/2000; Wanstead Flats, 24/08/2004 |
|
| Vasates quadripedes | Maple Bladder-gall | Mite | Silver Maple | Wanstead Park, 07/09/2007 |
| Unknown Causer | Mossy Willow Gall | Unknown | Willow/Salix | City of London Cemetery, 28/05/2017 |
In addition, James Heal of Bushwood, Leytonstone, has created a report on the galls that he has found in Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats during 2017, which has added considerably to our knowledge of the galls of the area
The list - presented as a .pdf file - can be viewed HERE