That's the problem the pictures and descriptions of Umbellaria and Laurus in many books could refer to either.
I can tell you the seeds of one are round and the other oval and the stamens have a different layout in respect of the pollen baskets but that's no good unless there are ripe fruit or open male flowers. But even knowing they are different does not tell you which one you have!
The leaves and twigs on my desk are giving off a pungent scent and I'm getting a headache - mind you mite gall are a headache anytime!
RegardS
Robert
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Message Received: Jan 13 2009, 09:07 PM
From: "Malcolm Storey"
To: british_galls@...
Cc:
Subject: RE: [british_galls] Bay flower gallsHi Robert,
Wikipedia has a picture of Umbellaria which matches your description:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbellularia
The Laurus page is not encouraging about identifying the three species:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurus
From its distribution, it sounds as tho Umbellularia may be more hardy than Laurus so it may be quite widely substituted in garden centres etc.
Malcolm
From: british_galls@... [mailto:british_galls@...] On Behalf Of Robert
Sent: 13 January 2009 20:17
To: BPGS
Subject: [british_galls] Bay flower galls
Hi all,
It seems as if Cecidophyopsis malpighianus has got to the North Norfolk Coast. I collected some swollen buds and enlarged flower heads in the garden of a hotel at Blakeney on Sunday 11th January. However i am a bit puzzled as all my plant books indicate that bay Laurus nobilis has its flowers in small simple clusters at the base of leaves on the previous years growth. The plant I collected the galls off had predominatly terminal flower clusters of much more branching structure. I have checked a few bay trees elsewhere in Norfolk and they all have the typical small short stalked flowers.
On checking Hilliers Manual of Trees and shrubs I find there are infact at least two species of Laurus and a closely related species Umbellaria californica. Are we getting our hosts confused? Or is it the nurseries doing it for us? Is there any one out there who can give us a key to these scented bays?
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