The intricacy of life.

A few days ago I posted a photograph of the alder tongue gall. I revisited the tree today and was pleased to see that the galls are doing very well. The tree is probably less happy with the situation.

This gall develops on the maturing female catkins of alders  in response to infection by the fungus Taphrina alni. As I understand it. the gall tissue is created by the alder and the fungus uses it as a platform from which to disperse its reproductive spores. Isn't life wonderfully complicated?