the.com/rust fungus
a plant parasite that turns leaves into orange crime scenes.
means a group of fungi that infect plants, forming rust-colored spore pustules and often needing two unrelated host plants to complete their life cycle.
from named simply for the reddish-orange spore powder that coats infected leaves like oxidized metal; the fungal order puccinia was described in the 18th century as botanists cataloged the strange multi-host life cycles.
life cyclesome species need five different spore stages
host switchingmany require two unrelated plant species to survive
crop threatwheat stem rust has caused historic famines
spore counta single pustule can release millions of spores