This book has been produced with the aim of stimulating the general
naturalist to take a closer look at the bumps and lumps that make up the
fascinating world of plant galls. Induced by a variety of insects and
other organisms and ranging from tiny pimples to bizarre and often very
attractive and exquisitely sculptured growths, plant galls are mystery
to many people, but they offer a fascinating field of study for both
botanists and zoologists. Galls can be found on a very wide range of
both woody and herbaceous plants, with over 50 different kinds occurring
on Britain's oak trees alone, and there is still much to be learned
about even the commonest examples.
- An introduction to the nature of plant galls and their formation
- Brief descriptions of some of the organisms that cause or induce galls
- Superb photographs of just over 200 of the commonest or most
conspicuous of Britain's 1,000 or so plant galls, arranged according
to their host plants to aid field identification
- Descriptions of these galls and the life histories of the organisms
that cause them