I thought of that, couldn't remember the name Used to get them all the time on my Fukien Teas.Hard to see from your pictures. The camera is focusing on the dirt not the stem. Kind of looks like bugs. Cottony Cushion Scale or Mealybugs, not sure without a clearer picture of the stem. Try a shot from a bit farther back, focused on the stem. Then people can weigh in with more certainty.
Thanks, and Good Luck!!