We've had some rain here in the southern Rockies this last week. causing what is locally called Powdery Mildew to appear. What is its scientific name?
Hi @allelopath - they tend to be host dependent: If you tell me plant host I may be able to provide names, or at least some name options
OK, so a couple of things ... of the ~150 kinds of powdery mildew in the PNW, none of them are on conifers, so if it is on a Pine tree then it is something else. Can you add a photo? Also, did not click the link in your original post until now: That link goes to a video of some slime molds (myxomycetes) which are unrelated, in a different kingdom/domain than mildews. If you were seeing a slime mold that looked like that, consider Fuligo septica and similar species. While there are some characteristic substrates for some slime mold, there is no "host" they way there is with powdery mildews. Hope this is helpful :-) EDIT: Just saw that the video is yours, so yes you have a Fuligo type of myxomycete there. Harmless to the touch. Many are edible :-)
Well. this has been a confusing journey. I started it off by calling it by the wrong name. In my defense, I'm not all that bright. The only F. septica I've seen before was with potted plants and they were always slimy, so I thought this was not a slime mold. And now I"ve read that Fuligo spp will eventually turn powdery, so there's that. Thanks for sharing your expertise. Edible? Sprinkle it on a hot fudge sundae?
Naw it was mainly me not clicking the link then not twigging to the fact that it was actually your video :-) Years ago a mycomycetologist from UBC told me that he'd eaten at least 8 different myxos ... but did report not much in terms of flavour. I found Fuligo tasted like faintly mushroomy water. .... So I bet the hot fudge sundae would basically work :-) I also dimly recall a project years back around mass production of slime molds as a form of protein to save the world ... I wonder what happened with that. I have a couple recipes for Enteridium but none for Fuligo :-) EDIT: OK just found a reference for traditional use: Mix raw Fuligo septica with scrambled eggs (central Mexico region)
Interesting about the scrambled eggs. Here is some discussion on whether it is F. septica that is eaten or perhaps Reticularia lycoperdon (aka Enteridium lycoperdon). More common is using huitlacoche (corn smut).
Agreed, caca de luna is definitely Enteridium lycoperdon. Fuligo septica is also eaten traditionally, but it is not called caca de luna ... I think the reposting festival that is the internet has conflated the two in some references.
Right next to the Fuligo, Monotropa hypopitys, not a fungus, but a myco-heterotroph. They really stand out on the floor of brown pine needles. Also notice the pink feldspar granite in the foreground, about 1.3 billion years old.
