Phacopteron lentiginosum Buckton

Taxonomic position

Insecta: Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Psylloidea: Phacopteronidae

Habitat / Crop(s) damaged

Nut-like galls of the most grotesque shapes are formed on terminal young leaves of Garuga pinnata, an important tree species found throughout India. These galls sometimes resemble a large conglomeration of fruits from a distance. Adults and nymphs can be seen inside the galls. The galls are predominantly visible during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The galls mature during October-November and are shed along with the leaf fall. The galls are also used in the Indian system of traditional medicine as an antidiarrheal due to the presence of phenols and gallic acid.

For more details like nomenclature, distribution, etc. see Psylloidea database.

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