Premium
Ergot
Author(s) -
Baker Ian
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
in practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.211
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 2042-7689
pISSN - 0263-841X
DOI - 10.1136/inpract.17.7.317
Subject(s) - claviceps purpurea , biology , sclerotium , fungus , botany , ovary , anatomy , endocrinology
ERGOT is the scierotium of the fungus Claviceps purpurea. This fungus is a parasite of various wild grasses and cereals, particularly rye and barley. It attacks the flower heads where it replaces the ovary. The sclerotium then develops as a dark purple horn‐like structure which protrudes from the flower head, varying in length from 1.5 to 3‐5 cm.