Taphrina farlowii Sadebeck, 1890
on Prunus
Prunus serotina, Loenen (Ge), 20.v.2020 © Arnold Grosscurt
normal and galled inflorescence
galled inflorescence
10.vi.2020: galled fruits
Prunus serotina, Otterlo, de Zanding, 23.vi.2010 © Arnold Grosscurt
Prunus serotina, Belgium, prov. Namur, Barvaux-Condroz, 21.v.2010 © Jean-Yves Baugnée
Prunus serotina, Huijbergen, 1.viii.2012: heavy infestation
Prunus serotina, Wouwsche Plantage, 2.viii.2012: the infested leaf dies off
Prunus serotina, Bergen op Zoom: shoot die back
Prunus serotina, Epe, Welna, 11.vi.2016 © Hans Jonkman
another image
final stage
Prunus serotina, Bargerveen, 13.v.2017 © Ben van As: galled inflorescence
Prunus serotina, Havelte, 27.vi.2025 © Arnold Grosscurt
same leaf, undersid
gall
even the fruits may be galled.
host plants
Rosaceae, narrowly monophagous
Prunus serotina.
notes
Until recently leaf curls in Prunus serotina were attributed in the European literature to Taphrina deformans. However, German mycologists discovered that a separate species was involved, that in the United States commonly was associated with this plant. Surprisingly, it is almost certain that Sadebeck described the fungus in 1890 on the basis of material collected in Germany. This implies that most probably the fungus was introduced into Europe together with its host plant.
On several localities around Bergen op Zoom in 2012 heavy infestations were seen, in some cases leading to die back of the young shoots. Perhaps that the “wood pest” finally has got its biological control agent?
references
Dietrich (2013a, 2016b), Grosscurt (2020c), Jage, Klenke, Kruse ao (2016a), Jage, Kruse, Kummer ao (2013a), Klenke & Scholler (2015a), Kruse (2019a), Mix (1936a, 1949a), Koops (2013a), Sadebeck (1890a).