Rust (fungus)

This article is about the fungus. For the corrosion process, see rust.

Rusts are fungi of the order Uredinales . Many of these species are plant parasites. Some are superficially similar to the smuts , although their relation to each other is not clear. The taxonomy of Urediniomycota, as a whole, is in a state of flux.

Many of the rusts have two or more hosts (heteroecious) and up to five spore stages. Among them are Gymnosporangium, the juniper-apple and juniper-hawthorn rusts.

The group received its common name from the fact that some species have a reddish spore stage, which resembles the corrosion process known as rust.

External links

Images of some rusts