Can anyone identify this plant/weed in Northern Indiana

Question

This one here is about 4-5 feet tall they are about 1/8" to 1/4" from top to bottom in Northern Indiana enter image description here

what part of the world are you in? – kevinskio Jul 15 '19 at 23:19 — kevinskio, Jul 15 '19 at 23:19

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 16 '19 at 00:16

This is likely a gall produced by a fly on a species of goldenrod. When the fly lays the eggs in the tip of the plant a hormone is produced that interferes with the normal development of the plant cells, forming that bulge which will protect the developing eggs and larvae. See for example this discussion.

Can anyone identify this plant/weed in Northern Indiana

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