Acacia Gall Rust Fungus

Description:

Acacia Gall Rust Fungus (Uromycladium tepperianum) is a rust fungus that infects over 100 species of Acacia and related genera including Paraserianthes in Australia, south-east Asia, the south Pacific and New Zealand. It has been introduced to South Africa as a biological control on the invasive Australian shrub Acacia saligna. On this badly infested tree, many of the leaves were either dead or showing signs of deformation where the galls were most prolific. Another gall species worth considering is Uromycladium implexae, also a species of rust fungus connected to acacias.

Habitat:

Found along the Reservoir Track in the Brisbane Forest Park at Enoggera Reservoir. Thick native bushland vegetation. Sandy soils. Exposed to full sunlight most of the day. A variety of wattle (acacia) species in abundance in this area.

Notes:

The tree is a species of wattle, but I've yet to determine if it's Southern Solwood or Black Wattle. Both tree species are found in this forest park, but from the leaf structure alone, I'm leaning towards Black Wattle (Acacia leiocalyx). Here's a spotting for comparison - https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/16...