Alder tongue gall
Encyclopedia
Taphrina alni is a fungal plant pathogen that causes Alder tongue gall, a chemically induced distortion of female alder catkins
(Alnus glutinosa).
T. alni produces a distinctive tongue-like growth which derives mainly from the ovarian tissues of the alder catkin or from the bracteoles. These alder pseudocones
may carry several tongue galls, each of which usually appear to come from the same position; those curling down usually come from the bracteoles tissues and those projecting upwards usually come from ovarian tissues.
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
(Alnus glutinosa).
Conifer cone
A cone is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta that contains the reproductive structures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity...
may carry several tongue galls, each of which usually appear to come from the same position; those curling down usually come from the bracteoles tissues and those projecting upwards usually come from ovarian tissues.
Distribution
This gall was rare in the United Kingdom and is absent from many of the published gall keys, although common in Western Europe. It has been recorded in Cornwall first in the 1940s, and then in Northumberland, Ayrshire and Skye, mainly since the 1990s. It is becoming quite common throughout the United Kingdom.Life cycle
The gall develops on the maturing pseudocones and the spores produced are carried by the wind to other trees.Infestations of Alder tongue galls
Removing and destroying the galls may help to reduce the infestation. While fairly large, and sometimes present in quite large numbers specimens, they cause no measurable harm.Structure and appearance
The gall, known as a 'languet', develops emerges from between the outer scales like a flat shaped elongated flag with a hard and slightly shiny surface. The surface is smooth, lacking any hairs. The outer edges are rounded and the end is more broadened than the foot of the 'flag'. Early in the season the flag is fresh and green, but the colours soon start to vary from pale green to yellow, pink, red, purple and orange. Later the galls turn brown or black and remain on the tree for a long time (until the next season). The gall is therefore very persistent and remains attached to the pseudocone throughout its existence, even remaining attached after storms have detached branches and pseudocones.See also
- GallGallGalls or cecidia are outgrowths on the surface of lifeforms caused by invasion by other lifeforms, such as parasites or bacterial infection. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues and can be caused by various parasites, from fungi and bacteria, to insects and mites...
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- Pineapple gall
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- Taphrina padiTaphrina padiTaphrina padi is a fungal plant pathogen that induces the form of Pocket Plum gall that occurs on Bird Cherry . The gall is a chemically induced distortion of the fruits, which are swollen, hollow, curved and greatly elongated, without a seed or stone, but retaining the style...