Taphrina padi Taphrina padi Taphrina padi is a fungal plant pathogen that induces the form of pocket plum gall that occurs on Bird Cherry ("Prunus padus"). The gall is a chemically induced distortion of the fruits, which are swollen, hollow, curved and greatly elongated, without a seed or stone, but retaining the style. The twigs on infected plants may also be deformed with small strap-shaped leaves. "Taphrina padi", a 'tongue fungus', produces a distinctive, elongated, tongue-like growth on Bird Cherry, similar to other closely related species such as "Taphrina alni" on Alder ("Alnus glutinosa") and "Taphrina pruni" on Blackthorn ("Prunus spinosa"). The
Prunus speciosa Prunus speciosa Prunus speciosa, the Oshima cherry, Japanese オオシマザクラ (Oshima zakura), is native to Izu Ōshima island and the Izu Peninsula on Honshū near Tokyo, Japan. "Prunus speciosa" is a deciduous tree typically high. The leaves are 5–10 cm long and 3–6 cm broad, with a double-toothed margin, and an acuminate apex. The flowers are 2.5–4 cm diameter, with five white petals, gold stamens and brown sepals; they grow in clusters in the spring, and are hermaphroditic. The fruit is a small black cherry about 1 cm diameter. A tree 8 m in circumference and 800 years old is known