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Old 12-08-2008, 10:57 PM posted to rec.gardens,rec.birds,alt.nature.mushrooms,sci.misc
jadel[_2_] jadel[_2_] is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2008
Posts: 22
Default PHOTO OF THE WEEK, Mystery Disease?

On Aug 12, 3:14*pm, Rick wrote:
jadel wrote:
On Aug 12, 10:05 am, Jack Schmidling wrote:
Returning home from our Friday trip to town, we spotted this strange
apparition in a tree along the road.....


I need some help identifying it.


One point of clarification. *As I said in an earlier reply, it's a
'witch's broom.' They are all caused by a mutation in a branch bud.
Nobody is sure what triggers the mutation; viruses, injury and
spontaneous mutation have all been suggested as possible causes.
Pines and spruces seem to be very susceptible to them.


An analogy would be 'cresting' *in cacti.


BTW, White Pine Blister Rust doesn't look like that. *Branches with
WPBR just turn brown, wither and die; they don't produce that kind of
bushy excresence.


J. Del Col


There are rust pustules also



Yep, nasty-looking stuff.

J. Del Col