Plant galls are something of an oddity when some folk first encounter them, others don’t even know they exist. Plant galls come in all shapes and sizes, and are formed by another organism using the plant as a host, using it for shelter and for food. The galls are caused by insects or mites, fungi or bacteria, and cause a biological reaction within the plant which causes these odd lumps and bumps to form of their tissues. They affect both herbaceous and wood plants, and there are at least over 1,000 species in Britain alone. It is most unlikely you would see the mite or insect which causes the majority of these galls for they are very small, some even microscopic, but the species can be identified by the galls they produce.The study of plant galls is called cecidology. Below the galls are aranged by host type.
Trees & Shrubs
Euura proxima
Andricus kollari
Neuroterus tricolor
Diplolepis rosae
Aceria aceriscampestris
.
Myzus (Myzus) cerasi
.
.
.
Andricus quercuscalicis
Neuroterus quercusbaccarum
.
.
Eriophyes tiliae
.
Gymnosporangium sp.
Cynips quercusfolii
Neuroterus numismalis
Andricus foecundatrix
Aceria pseudoplatani
Eriophyes laevis
Thecabius (Thecabius) affinis
Pemphigus spyrothecae
Gymnosporangium sabinae
Herbaceous Plants & Ferns
.
Trioza centranthi
,
For further reference see the links and literature below:
The British Plant Gall Society – To encourage and co-ordinate the study of plant galls, with particular reference to the British Isles.
Facebook British Plant Galls (in association with BPGS) – A group for sharing information about British and Irish Plant Galls.
Recommended reading: Britain’s Plant Galls: A Photographic Guide by Michael Chinery.
Nature Journeys 