Pontania pyriformis new species

Gall. —Galls occurring on leaves of Salix californica(?) [eastwoodiae]. Collected by Albert Koebele, Donner, Placer County, Cal., September 5, 1885. Galls occur on the underside of the leaf, attached to or near the midrib, usually singly, but sometimes two separately on the leaf, or more frequently partly coalescing, in which case one is usually abortive. They are pear shaped, attached rather broadly (1/4 to 1/2 greatest diameter) at the larger end, and rather acutely pointed, sometimes slightly curved at tip, or more rarely bifurcate. They consist of a mere shell, containing with the larva very little frass, as though the larva had subsisted more on secretions than on the solid interior of the gall — the gall giving now no indication of ever having been fleshy and solid. The full-grown larva escapes through the base of the gall at its point of attachment, emerging, therefore, on the upper side of the leaf. The larva is white, with light-brown head and black eye-spots, 7 to 8 mm. long. Six specimens of Pimpla euurae Ashm. were reared, but no gall-flies.

Pontania pyriformis

Salix
Leaf galls

Pyriform, usually solitary, thin-walled, broadly attached, on S californica [eastwoodiae], sawfly, spring