Melampsora caprearum
The primary host of the rust fungus Melampsora caprearum is sallow, causing galls on the leaves; Salix caprea, S. cinerea and S. aurita; rarely Salix daphnoides, purpurea or viminalis. The leaf blade or veins become distorted with irregular thickened spots bearing orange-yellow uredinia and later on, telia.
The alternate host bearing spermogonia and aecia is Larch; it is not a gall-causer on this host.
Several other species of Melampsora have Salix species as their primary host, bearing uredinia and telia, with various aecial hosts - e.g. Melampsora epitea complex. Only M caprearum and M amygdalinae cause galls; M amygdalinae is confined to Almond willow (Salix triandra)
Photograph the rust and galls on the host. Ensure you have noted the host species in your comments. If the rust is not gall-causing, microscopic examination is needed.
alternating Sallows and Larch
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Species profile
- Species group:
- fungus
- Kingdom:
- Fungi
- Order:
- Pucciniales
- Family:
- Melampsoraceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 98
- First record:
- 02/06/2016 (Grimes, Martin)
- Last record:
- 05/08/2025 (lemmon, roy)
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% of records within its species group
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