Podosphaera aphanis

Podosphaera aphanis is a species complex of powdery mildews in the family Erysiphaceae. It is found across the world, wherever the host plants are found.^[1] Podosphaera aphanis sensu stricto is only found on Alchemilla.

Podosphaera aphanis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Leotiomycetes
Order:	Helotiales
Family:	Erysiphaceae
Genus:	Podosphaera
Species:	P. aphanis
Binomial name
Podosphaera aphanis (Wallr.) U. Braun & S. Takam., 2000
Synonyms
Sphaerotheca aphanis (Wallr.) U. Braun, 1982 Erysiphe potentillae Lib., 1834 Sphaerotheca alchemillae (J. Steiner) Erikss., 1928

Description

The fungus forms thin, white irregular patches on the leaves of its host. Podosphaera aphanis, like most Erysiphaceae, is highly host-specific and P. aphanis infects only one genus.

Taxonomy

The fungus was formally described in 1819 by Wallroth with the basionym Alphitomorpha aphanis. It was transferred to the genus Podosphaera by Braun and Takamatsu in 2000.^[2] The Podosphaera aphanis complex was split in 2025, creating multiple new species: Podosphaera rubi-spectabilis, infecting Rubus spectablilis and R. ursinus; Podosphaera ruborum, infecting other Rubus species; Podosphaera fragariae, infecting Eurasian Potentilla and Fragaria; and Podosphaera septentrionalis, infecting North American Geum and Agrimonia. The species on North American Potentilla and Fragaria and Eurasian Geum and Agrimonia (along with the species on Comarum) remain unresolved.^[3]