(Click to enlarge)
That's one humongous oak gall! California white oak (Quercus lobata), Santa Margarita, CA.
For my Midwestern, Eastern and Southeastern readers the scale can be a bit deceiving in terms of the size of the gall relative to the size of the leaves.
(Click to enlarge)
California white (a.k.a. valley) oak leaves can be wee itty bitty. The leaves on this particular tree aren't that small, but they are nowhere near the size of the white oak (Quercus alba) that you are used to seeing; if they were the gall would be the size of a rugby ball.
As it is the call is still nearly as big as a soda can (that's pop can to you Minnesota friends). Not that I'd know for sure, and not that I don't have about two dozen Mountain Dew can rolling around the floor of my truck.
I really, really need to get going on making some oak gall ink. Promise: One post written in oak gall ink by next week. It's up to you to hold me to it!
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