A Glossary of Gall Related Terminology

Word
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Definition
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Refs
abrupt
For a woody stem gall, this term indicates the stem is not tapered toward the widest part of the gall, but suddenly expands from an otherwise unaltered stem.
agamic
The agamic (AKA unisexual) generation of an oak gall wasp (cynipini) species consists of only female wasps, which do not mate before laying the eggs which become the male and females of the sexual generation (sexgen). Agamic galls are often (with many important exceptions) detachable leaf or stem galls that appear in the late summer and persist with the adult wasp inside through the following spring, when they emerge to oviposit in flower or leaf buds.
areola
Any small circular area that is different from its immediate environment.
binomial nomenclature
Also called binary nomenclature, this is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts. The first part of the name – the generic name – identifies the genus to which the species belongs, while the second part – the specific name or specific epithet – identifies the species within the genus. Binomial names are sometimes informally called "Latin" names, because they follow Latin grammar. Binomial names can also be called binomials, binomina (singular "binomen"), or scientific names.
canker
A lesion on the inner live bark of a tree that causes a change in color, bark sagging, and sometimes (on trunks) callus formation. Such lesions may occur on stems, branches, or roots and typically occur after the death of the cambium.
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carpel
A carpel is the female reproductive part of the flower—usually composed of the style, and stigma (sometimes having its individual ovary, and sometimes connecting to a shared basal ovary) —and usually interpreted as modified leaves that bear structures called ovules, inside which egg cells ultimately form.
catkin
A slim, cylindrical flower cluster (a spike), usually pendulous (hanging) with inconspicuous or no petals.
cecidiology
A branch of biology that is concerned with the galls produced on plants by insects, mites, and fungi.
chimera (botany)
a mix of genotypes in the layers that make up the shoot tip that is a common cause of variegated leaves and mottled fruit skins. Chimeras are genetic oddities rather than galls.
enation
(botany) A small outgrowth on the surface of a plant organ.
erineum
[plural: erinea]. Gall in the form of abnormal plant hairs (trichomes) that may be elongated, strongly curled or apically swollen. The erineum may cover part of the surface of the leaf (or other organ) or may grow within the concave space on the reverse side of a blister gall. The modified trichomes are induced by the feeding of Eriophid mites and become a protected habitat for the microscopic mites.
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free-rolling
The cell containing the larva is loose within an open cavity formed by the walls of the gall, free to roll around when disturbed. See Gallformers' ID Tool Filter Guide (click on “1” at right) for definitions of other terms Gallformers uses to categorize galls.
fusiform
Spindle-like shape that is wide in the middle and tapers at both ends.
gall
Plant galls are abnormal growths of plant tissues, similar to tumors or warts in animals, that have an external cause--such as an insect, mite, nematode, virus, fungus, bacterium, or even another plant species. Growths caused by genetic mutations are not galls. Nor are lerps and other constructions on a plant that do not contain plant tissue. Plant galls are often complex structures that in most cases allow the insect or mite that caused the gall to be identified even if that insect or mite is not visible.
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genus
(plural: genera) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, as well as viruses, in biology. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.
glaucous
coated with a whitish, grayish, or bluish wax or bloom that can easily be rubbed off.
host
A plant on which a gall is formed.
hymenium
(plural hymenia) The spore-bearing surface of a fungus.
hyperplasia
enlargement of a plant organ or plant tissue caused by cell proliferation, rather than by an increase in cell size
hypertrophy
excessive growth of a plant organ or part -- some writers use the word more narrowly for situations where the component cells have grown in size but have not increased in number, in contrast with hyperplasia
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imbricated
overlapping
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inquiline
An animal that uses living space created by another species--for example, larvae found inside a gall that are not the same species as the gallformer.
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integral leaf gall
a gall situated under the surface of the leaf--e.g., a blister gall
integral stem gall
a gall situated under the bark--e.g., a stem swelling gall or a hidden cell gall
kapello
A waxy or fatty body found at the apex of agamic galls induced by certain species of Kokkocynips, which cause dispersal of galls by seed-harvesting ants
monothalamous
Single-chambered.
mycelium
(pl.: mycelia) The vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, threadlike hyphae. The threads are usually white or cream-colored.
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node
the locations on a plant stem where buds, leaves, and branches appear. Old nodes without live buds or leaves can be recognized by the presence of leaf scars.
papilla
A small projecting body part similar to a nipple in form. (plural: papillae)
papillose
Full of papillae.
parasitism
A relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life.
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parasitoid
An insect whose young develop in (or on) the body of another organism--usually another insect--eventually killing the host.
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pedicel
A narrow attachment point for a gall to its host.
peduncle
A narrow part by which some larger part or the whole body of an organism is attached.
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petiole
The stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem.
plum pocket
a swollen, spongy, distorted plum with a pocket inside caused by withering of the seed cavity tissues. These distorted plums are symptoms of infection by one of several Taphrina species that infect Prunus. See also "pocket gall."
pocket gall
elongated, flattened, hollow, stone-less fruit of a Prunus species infected by a Taphrina fungus. The fruit gall may be any color from light green, through grey to light orange. Its surface becomes corrugate and coated with the fungus, showing as a white bloom of ascospore producing hyphae. University of Illinois describes a typical progression: "Infected fruits become distorted and enlarge as much as 10 times the normal size, with spongy or hollow centers with or without pits. In modern cultivars, the pockets can be difficult to detect and may be observed only in cut fruit. Early symptoms are small whitish spots or blisters that enlarge rapidly. Later, they become reddish and display a velvety gray appearance. Upon dehydration, only exterior shell remains. Deformed fruits become brown or black with age and fall from the trees. Symptoms become evident 6-8 weeks after budbreak."
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polythalamous
having more than one chamber
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prolate
A shape where the distance between the poles is longer than the equatorial diameter.
pubescent
Covered with short hairs or soft down.
pyriform
pear-shaped
sessile
Attached directly by the base : not raised upon a stalk or peduncle.
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sexgen
The sexual generation (AKA bisexual generation or sexgen) of an oak gall wasp (cynipini) species consists of both male and female wasps, which mate before the females lay eggs which will mature to form the all-female agamic generation. Sexual generation galls are typically ephemeral and often cryptic integral bud, leaf, or flower galls which are found between late spring and early summer.
sp. (or "sp" on gallformers)
"sp." is an abbreviation that is used after the genus name when the specific identity of a plant has not yet been determined. Gallformers drops the period because of how our database is configured.
spangle/button
A flat, circular disc-like structure. Often with a central umbo. See Gallformers' ID Tool Filter Guide (click on “1” at right) for definitions of other terms Gallformers uses to categorize galls.
spp. (or "spp" on gallformers)
An abbreviation that is used after the genus name to refer to several species. Gallformers drops the period because of how our database is configured. Although "Baccharis spp." may mean several unidentified species of Baccharis, it may also mean that all the species in Baccharis are considered potential hosts for the gall inducer.
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unilocular
having only one cavity or chamber; synonym for monothalamous
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witches' broom
A dense profusion of buds or shoots on woody plants.
zoocecidium
(plural: Zoocecidia) A gall caused by an animal.