>Isn't botrytis the same thing as powdery mildew? Not to be confused
>with plain ol' (non powdery?) mildew, the type that attacks
>(harmlessly) the wings of my S. minor and some S. rubra types in humid
>weather?
No, they are different. Botrytis (commonly called grey mould) is
normally associated with diseases such as choccolate spot in faba beans
(B. fabae) but here in South Australia at least the most common species
is B. cinerea which has been recorded on lots of different hosts. It
normally is grey and furry. This is also the fungus that is applied to
grapes to get those really sweet Botrytis desert wines.
Powdery mildews (I think in this cause Oidium sp.) also attack a large
variety of plant species and is characterised by greyish-white powdery
spots on the leaves. It seems to like my Cephalotus :( but the
literature syas that Darlingtonia is also susceptible to it. Grows very
well in humid areas.
The one you mentioned that grows on your S.minor is commonly refered to
as sooty mould. They are black and dry looking, like soot. They grow
on honeydew, which is produced normally along the wing of the S. minor
pitcher but also on the honeydew produced by aphids and scale. While
this makes the plants look horrible and may cause a reduction in
photosynthesis, sooty mould does not directly damage the plant.
Hope this is of some use
Cheers
Terry