noun
- a rounded growth on oak trees and other plants caused by wasp larvae, historically used to make ink and dyes
Usage: botanical; historical
Examples
- The medieval scribes made their black ink from nutgalls and iron sulfate.
- Nutgalls form when wasps lay their eggs in oak tree branches.
- The tannins in nutgalls made them valuable for leather processing.
- Collectors found several nutgalls attached to the oak’s twigs.
- Traditional dyers used nutgalls to create deep, lasting colors.
- The round nutgall contained the developing wasp larva inside.