Stats

Lifespan

A few months

Size

Tiny

Diet

Decomposer

Biome

Temperate forest

Range

Worldwide

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Spores

Defense

Toxins

Status

Rare

About

This fungus grows as a white, dusty film across the leaves of peony plants. It sends microscopic straw-like tubes into plant cells to siphon out liquid nutrients.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   spore

   A microscopic spore drifts on air or water and germinates where moisture and substrate meet.
2. 2.
   mycelium

   A thread-like mycelium spreads through the substrate, breaking it down into nutrients.
3. 3.
   fruiting body

   A mature fruiting body emerges to release the next generation of spores.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Fungi

Phylum

Ascomycota

Class

Leotiomycetes

Order

Helotiales

Family

Erysiphaceae

Genus

Erysiphe

Species

Erysiphe paeoniae