gallers on Buxus

1a On parts above ground => 2

1b Roots with nodular swellings. B. sempervirens: Meloidogyne hapla

2a On buds, shoot tips or leaves => 3

2b Flowers greened; inner parts thickened, succulent; without abnormal pubescence. B. sempervirens: Eriophyes canestrinii

= Also Eriophyes buxi has been recorded, presumably as inquiline, from such galls

3a On leaves => 6

3b On buds or shoot tips => 4

4a Malformation of many terminal leaves => 5

4b Buds enlarged, transformed into a globular gall, up to 4 mm long, loosely grey pubescent. Leaves with small bladder-like swellings. B. sempervirens: Aceria unguiculata

5a Leaves on shoot tip clustered, tuft-like, almost hemispherical or arched, spoon-like, often sticky on inner side. Froth-covered nymphs flattened, greenish covered with whitish pubescence. B. balearica, sempervirens, microphylla: Psylla buxi

5b Young leaves deflected, black aphids on underside. B. sempervirens: Aphis fabae

6a Malformations induced by animals => 7

6b Up to about 2 mm wide, almost half-globular, compact, at first yellowish-green, later on dark brown telia; containing 2-celled teliospores. Often several sori on the underside of locally hypertrophied leaves. B. microphylla, sempervirens: Puccinia buxi

6c The infested leaf parts eventually dry and fall out; after that it looks as if the plant has been grazed by an insect. B. sempervirens: Mycosphaerella buxicola

7a Leaf blade usually with yellowish-green, vaguely defined, ± rotund-oval blisters, often close to midrib on upper side, on underside later on ± translucent, flat bulging. Often several per leaf, ± coalescing. Each contains one or more larvae, at first white, later on orange-yellow. B. balearica, microphylla, sempervirens, wallichiana: Monarthropalpus flavus

8b Leaf blades with small pustules. Parenchyma loosened from lower epidermis. Cavity contains many gall mites. B. sempervirens: Eriophyes hypophyllus