Steady on David, we will all be experts if you are not careful!
Thanks for the link . I have just realised I have wasted the last two years looking for enlarged buds on Bay. I thought enlarged buds looked like Hazel or Blackcurrat Big bud i.e. single bud on normal stalks NOT a totaly enlarged inflorescence.
It is a pity that there was no mention of this CSL link in the references in the Cecidology articles, and that the authors of the articles use English so loosely that it can be easily misunderstood. (Another misunderstanding is being developed in respect of Andricus grossulariae agamic galls)
However I had noticed several bay trees with enlarged, i.e multi-branched inflorences, usually at the tips of the twigs but there does not seem to be any distinctly enlarged/distorted buds present. Maybe these will develop later.
Thanks to all for the links and refenences
Robert
========================================
Message Received: Jan 14 2009, 11:12 PM
From: "DAVID SAVAGE"
To: british_galls@...
Cc:
Subject: Re: [british_galls] Bay flower galls
Hi
I hope that the attached file from the DEFRA site is of help.
David
--- On Tue, 13/1/09, Robert fsnet.co.uk> wrote:From: Robert fsnet.co.uk>
Subject: [british_galls] Bay flower galls
To: "BPGS" yahoogroups.co.uk>
Date: Tuesday, 13 January, 2009, 8:17 PMHi 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?
[ baybigbud.pdf (207.0 Kb) ]
Offline 
Send Email