An abnormal growth or swelling on plants, typically produced by insects, mites, or fungi as a protective chamber for their larvae.
From Latin galla (gall nut), which produced tannic acid used in ink and dyeing. The word refers to the plant's defensive response to parasitic invasion.
Medieval writers created entire documents with ink made from crushed gall nuts—you can still read manuscripts from 500 years ago because gall was that durable! Nature invented this chemistry before humans did.
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