Appearance
The associated anamorph species is ''Lalaria coccinea'', described in 1990. This disease causes lesions and blisters on Oak leaves. Effects of the disease are mostly cosmetic. Although not taxonomically defined, strains of ''T. caerulescens'' have been shown to be host specific with varying ¬ascus morphology between strains.There are differences in strains’ abilities to metabolize various carbon and nitrogen compounds. This has been proposed as a method of taxonomically defining subspecies within ''T. caerulescens''.
''Taphrina caerulescens'' is very closely related to ''Taphrina deformans'', which causes peach leaf curl. These two pathogens have indistinguishable asci. However, ''T. deformans'' infects peach tree species while ''T. caerulescens'' infects Oak tree species only.
Naming
The blisters and masses of pale spores produced by ''T. caerulescens'' can resemble the felty mass caused by the erineum mite, ''Aceria mackiei''. Click on the proceeding reference link for photos comparing the two.
Habitat
''Taphrina caerulescens'', as with all other ''Taprhina'' species, thrives in cool, wet environments. Environmental conditions play a large role in the ability of Taphrina species because they are highly dependent upon leaf surface moisture to infect budding leaf tissue.References:
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