Interesting article
http://waynesword.palomar.edu
To Be Or Not To Be A Gall
The Story Of Strange Growths On Plants
including insects, mites, mistletoe, fungi and bacteria. |
1. Introduction
The mysterious origin of strange growths on the stems, leaves, flowers and roots of plants have intrigued naturalists for centuries. Called galls or hypertrophies, these tumorous (neoplasmic) outgrowths develop from rapid mitosis and morphogenesis of plant tissues and come in an astounding array of colors, shapes and sizes. Galls may be smooth, spiny or fuzzy, and resemble everything from marbles and ping-pong balls to dunce caps, saucers and sea urchins. Many galls provide the food and brooding structure for various species of harmless insects. Because of the general nature of galls, many authors refer to any swollen structure bearing insects as galls. This is not only incorrect, but it detracts from the marvelous evolution of some remarkable plant species which have literally developed little "condos" to house their special symbiotic insects. These help-mate insects provide a vital service to their host plant in the form of pollination or protection in a highly competitive environment where these plants could otherwise not survive.
Swollen stem galls on the branchlets of a canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis) caused by a cynipid gall wasp (Andricus spectabilis?).
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