First, I'd simply like to thank all active participants! I've gotten feedback from many of you already, while several more have messaged to say that they're now wading into identifying. I appreciate all the enthusiasm as always!
This post is simply a supplement to the updated version of the Guide that I just sent out. I tried to keep the message short and simple as I had to send out a lot of them; consequently I added only a quick note to each person, while the rest of what I would've said (and the tabulation of the more important updates) are all in this post instead. I also have to say, if any of you see this tag but haven't seen my message(s -- either the update or the original), please do check your inbox!
A few people have asked me about when illustrations and/or photos might be added to the Guide. The reality is that I don't know, and soon the field guide writing part of my time will have to be given over to more of my PhD work. I have not made significant further progress on moving toward physical publication of a printed edition of the Guide -- which would certainly have full species accounts and photo illustrations in addition to the keys, but which I won't have enough time to work on during the coming months.
With that constraint, this update might be the last major one for a while. I will add significant changes if necessary, such as if new species are described or new records of species are found in the Americas -- as has already happened! If any of the keys are unusable due to numerical error or excessively ambiguous couplets, that would also merit an update. Otherwise, I will continue to take feedback and corrections but mainly compile them for a later update.
For now, please use the update I've sent out. Let me know any thoughts, comments, questions, and critiques you may have about it -- and keep up the identifying and observing! So far things seem to be going quite well!
On a side note: Greenhouses are an excellent place to look for powdery mildews! They're crowded (lots of plants to infect), humid (perfect for fast growth), usually actively ventilated (blowing the spores all around), and sheltered (no pesky rain or hordes of fungus-eating ladybugs to damage them). I visited some production greenhouses earlier and found incredible amounts of mildew on some of the tree seedlings there -- see attached observations below -- including one or two species I hadn't observed before (Podosphaera pruinosa and Erysiphe cornigena). There are also species described from inside greenhouses, such as the mysterious "Euoidium" pseudolongipes, as well as likely more awaiting discovery, such as a strange pitcher plant powdery mildew I once caught a glimpse of. So if you happen to find yourself in a public or commercial greenhouse, keep an eye out for some familiar pale fungi!
In any case, you can find the important new differences in the Guide V1.2 listed below -- no need to read them all, but for those who are curious, I mostly kept track to share the news.
Happy mildew-hunting!
This post is addressed to whom it may concern, mainly those who responded in the affirmative to my initial notification, and not counting one or two people who received solely the new version and don't need me to ping them again in one day; altogether, namely, the assembled ongoing participants are:
@brandoncorder @brnhn @cofa @crothfels @david99 @djringer @dylantomtaylor @dysm @epic2112 @eric-schmitty @jemredwood @lennie-manning @leytonjfreid @lumenal @megan_blackmore @neontetraploid @nschwab @okbirdman @picklejar @pipsissewa @reptipods @sunguramy @sus_scrofa @susanhewitt @tom1548 @tylbrooks1998 @whateverwatcher @yerbasanta @zee_z @zihaowang
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