BUG #19018: high memory usage and "stack depth limit exceeded", with GiST index on ltree

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From: PG Bug reporting form <noreply@postgresql.org>
To: pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org
Cc: dull.bananas0@gmail.com
Date: 2025-08-11T22:00:52Z
Lists: pgsql-bugs
The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      19018
Logged by:          Joseph Silva
Email address:      dull.bananas0@gmail.com
PostgreSQL version: 17.5
Operating system:   Fedora
Description:        

If I run this, then the postgres process's memory usage approaches 6 GB, and
the insertion when
i=253 fails with "stack depth limit exceeded":

```
CREATE EXTENSION ltree;

CREATE TABLE comment (path ltree);

CREATE INDEX ON comment USING gist (path);

DO $$
    DECLARE
        i int := 1;
        p text := '0';
    BEGIN
        WHILE i < 1000 LOOP
            p := p || '.' || i::text;
            i := i + 1;
            INSERT INTO comment (path) VALUES (p::ltree);
            COMMIT;
        END LOOP;
    END
$$;
```

If index creation is delayed until after insertions, then the insertions
succeed but index creation
fails.