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