Terms discussed: farinose, furfuraceous, granulose, pruinose, scurfy
There are several different terms to describe a powdery surface.
Farinose and pruinose: a very fine powder, like flour or confectioner's sugar.
Furfuraceous: small flakes; dandruffy.
Granulose: particles like grains of salt
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Scurfy is an especially useful word that indicates a roughened surface, but you're not quite sure what to call the stuff that roughens it. In fact, you're not even being clear whether the roughenings are attached to the surface or not. Often, a scurfy surface has a top layer that is coming off in all sorts of flakes, threads and powder, and many of the particles are still partially attached to the surface while others are not.
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