Although the photos are not the best, I believe you have mealy bugs. They are a type of sucking insect that saps the plant's vitality and can cause stunting and leaf drop. Like most other sucking insects, they excrete honeydew, a sweet sticky substance that can coat the foliage and stems and encourage the growth of sooty mold or the black substance you see on the lower stems and at the base of the plant.

Mealy Bugs

Thanks, so hard to get good photos because they are so small. I tried again with my friend's DSLR, and reposted with those images... that's the best I can do without a macro lense.

I agree on the mealy bugs. But imo your last photo shows a wind borne seed that has blown and stuck to the honeydew.

Agree with all of the above. If it was mine, I would get some strong rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and Q-tips and start cleaning. The alcohol will remove the bugs an the sooty mold.