Looking for a natural source of commercial nutgalls? Quercus lusitanica, also known as Gall Oak, Lusitanian Oak, or Dyer's Oak, is a species of oak native to Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. Its nutgalls, produced by the insect Cynips gallae tinctoriae, are used commercially for dyeing. The tree can live up to 600 years and is a medium-sized deciduous or semi-evergreen, growing up to 20m in height. Its glossy dark green leaves, with 5-12 pairs of irregular teeth, fall in mid to late winter. The flowers are catkins, produced between March and April, and the acorns mature in 6 months to disperse in September or October. Other names for the nutgalls are Turkish gall, Galla tinctoria, Galla halepense, Galla levantica or Galla quercina, manjakani in Asia Minor or majuphal in India. It has been used by Tamils for more than 2000 years, where it is called 'maasikkaay'.
