A genus of fungi that forms black sooty mold on plants, often appearing as a dark coating on leaves infested by scale insects or aphids.
From Greek 'kapnos' (smoke) and 'odion' (resemblance), literally 'smoke-like,' describing the dark smoky appearance of the mold.
Sooty mold doesn't actually kill plants directly, but it's a sign that sap-sucking insects have infested the plant—it's like nature's alarm system.
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