Taphrina alni?

[Gerel]

Hi all,

I picked this up on the Kintyre shore of Loch Fyne around about new year.
I think it must be Taphrina alni (Alder tongue) which is apparently becoming more common in the UK. I was impressed by how many galls (?) there were, especially as quite a few broke off between the finding and taking of these pics.




Regards

Steve

[nutmeg]

Yes, looks like it - and must have been really spectacular in its 'fresh' state with all those 'tongues'!

Here's how I've typically seen it:

[poschiavanus]

A very nice find: still a gall I have yet to see.

I thought it was still rare in N. Britain but Carl Farmer mentions it in his Skye Nature Diary in 2004 (here).

[fairplay]

I have never seen so many 'tongues' on each cone, but they do turn black, so this is definitely what you have.

In the Norfolk/Suffolk Broads, Taphrina alni can be extremely common.

Neil.

[Gerel]

Thanks for the confirmation.

Originally Posted by nutmeg

Yes, looks like it - and must have been really spectacular in its 'fresh' state with all those 'tongues'!

Here's how I've typically seen it:

This is the first time I've seen it at all, it would have been very impressive if each 'tongue' had looked like those in your pic. The site is 400+ miles from here so I'm unlikely to be popping back to see it fresh this year.

Originally Posted by poschiavanus

A very nice find: still a gall I have yet to see.

I thought it was still rare in N. Britain but Carl Farmer mentions it in his Skye Nature Diary in 2004 (here).

I saw that mention of it being on Skye as well.

Reading around on the Web I found a few comments along the lines of "becoming more common in the UK" and NBN shows a few records near to where I found this.

Originally Posted by fairplay

I have never seen so many 'tongues' on each cone, but they do turn black, so this is definitely what you have.

In the Norfolk/Suffolk Broads, Taphrina alni can be extremely common.

Neil.

There were several other effected cones to be seen in the stand of alder but this was the most extreme.

Does anyone know how it is distributed (wind blown spores?) and at what time of year the spores are produced.

(I brought the specimen back with me, and am now wondering if I am in danger of inadvertently introducing it into this area)

Steve

[fairplay]

Hello Steve,

I don't really know the answer to your question, but I believe it is when the 'tongue' begins to darken and the spores are produced on/in that dark outer surface. As to 'when' - again I do not know.
Previously I used the word 'cones' but the galls emerge from the 'psuedocones' or female catkins. It can prevent fertilisation or spoil seed development, but it is not considered a threat in this country, so no worries of damage to environment etc.
A couple of years back, I went up to Hickling Broad, Norfolk, and they seemed to be on every young Alder I looked at along the lakes edge.

Neil.

[Gerel]

Hi Neil,

Thanks for the information.

I think I was half-remembering recent concerns about the spread of a new strain of Phytophthora and getting my 'alnis' confused .

Steve