ˈɜːɹɪsˌɪfeɪlz hæv ɐ sˈuːpɚfˈɪʃəl maɪsˈiːliəm wˌɪtʃ ɛkstɹˈækts nˈɜːɹɪʃmənt fɹʌmðə hˈoʊst plˈænt θɹuː spˈɛʃəlˌaɪzd hˈaɪfiː ðæt pˈɛnɪtɹˌeɪt ðɪ ˌɛpɪdˈɜːməl sˈɛlz ʌvðə hˈoʊst baɪ mˈiːnz ʌv ɐbsˈoːɹbɪŋ ˈɔːɹɡənz kˈɔːld hɔːstˈoːɹiə.
Erysiphales have a superficial mycelium which extracts nourishment from the host plant through specialized hyphae that penetrate the epidermal cells of the host by means of absorbing organs called haustoria.