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Gymnosporangium globosum
Can anyone tell me what the heck this is?? Not sure if this is part of the tree or something an animal or insect has created. I first noticed one of these on the tree near work last year. I have been trying to get a good photo and ID ever since - sadly neither has been accomplished. They are ball shaped, with brown something or others sticking out all over. I can't tell if they are pine needles from the tree (will post a photo of tree once it stops raining, as I am not sure what type of tree it is other than either a pine or cypress) or something an insect or possibly a bird has created. One person here at work seems to think it is a disease that the tree gets. last year only one of the balls were seen, this year there are several - unfortunately they are too high up for me to see with my naked eye, and my photos leave much to be desired. On deciduous hosts, small yellow spots first appear after infection in the spring. As the spots mature and enlarge, they take on an orange color and develop tiny black dots (spermagonia) in the center of the lesion. By mid-summer, tubes (aecia) are visible on the undersides of mature leaf lesions or within the lesions on fruit, petioles, or twigs infections. Hawthorn rust aecia (about 1/8 of an inch long) are longer than the aecia of cedar-apple rust.
Found on either a pine or type of cypress tree. North Florida. rounded in shape, various sizes from about the size of a golf ball all the way to the size of a softball. More on this weird looking thing can be found here: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/focus/cedar...
Thank you for the ID assistance! Mystery has now been solved thanks to PN and its wonderful members.
Thank you S Frazier, After researching your suggestion and visiting the blog links, it is indeed the Cedar-Hawthorn Rust.
so my co-worker that said it was a disease was partially right. It does damage the trees, what a shame as I have now noticed it on some of the other red cedars in the area :(
I believe the ID above is correct, especially since that appears to be a red cedar tree.
Or similar to spruce pineapple or pseudocone galls http://tree-species.blogspot.com/2009_09... OR similar to http://lh6.ggpht.com/Dixiefriendgay/SDEL... caused by Taxodiumiya cupressiananassa
ok added photos of the tree this "thing" is spotted on. Can anyone please tell me what it is? There are several on this tree this year, and only one was spotted on it last year.
Part of the tree? Created by an insect, or bird? Disease?
lol @Stanks that it does. I have been trying to figure out what the heck these are for a year now and thought for sure someone here at PN would know. Going to see about getting a photo of the tree on my morning break as I think that may help.
I have no idea what it is but can't help mentioning that it reminds me of Medusa. Nice shot.
Spotted on Apr 5, 2012
Submitted on Apr 5, 2012
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