Pretty & Gross - Galls on Japanese Snowbell😱 キモカワ - エゴノネコアシ😱

Japanese follows English. 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Something is pretty and GROSS, and Japanese snowbell is one such example. In May, it produces beautiful snow white flowers but a month later, it produces not only beautiful pale green fruits but also something looking like flower buds. Don't be deceived, however. They're galls of Ceratovacuna nekoashi.

A gall is an abnormal, localized outgrowth or swelling of plant tissue caused by infection from bacteria, fungi, viruses, and nematodes or irritation by insects and mites (Britannica). And galls on Japanese snowbell trees are caused by APHIDS, meaning these green things which look like some flower buds contain many many aphids😱! If I hadn't known this, I must've touched them!

Galls on Japanese snowbell trees are called "Cat paws on Japanese snowbell" in Japanese and you can see why. The galls look like cat paws, but the name, which doesn't mention the important fact that they aren't cat paws or flowers but contain bugs😂, bothers me...

Ceratovacuna nekoashi エゴノネコアシ

A gall on Styrax japonicus  エゴノネコアシ

Fruits are pretty.... 実は可愛いんだけどね。。。


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世の中、キモカワなものがあるのは知られていますが、これがその一例です。5月にあんなに綺麗な鈴なりの白い花で楽しませてくれたエゴノキが、6月にかわいい実を付けるのはいいのですが、その横にはエゴノネコアシが~!。エゴノキにできる猫の足。名前は可愛い。でも騙されてはいけない!これは虫こぶ(虫瘤)といい、植物組織が異常な発達をしてできるこぶ状の突起で、中にはアブラムシがたくさんいるのです。ヒエー😱!

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