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Ergot

Fungi

Claviceps purpurea is an ergot fungus that grows on the ears of rye and related cereal and forage grasses. Its hardened resting structure, the ergot sclerotium, can contaminate harvested grain, and consuming contaminated grain or seed can cause ergotism in humans and other mammals. The fungus most commonly affects outcrossing cereal species such as rye, along with triticale, wheat and barley, and only rarely affects oats.

Facts
Classification
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 2
System (Realm)
Freshwater 2
System (Realm)
Marine 2
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Forms a hard, dry resting body (Sclerotium clavus) inside the husk of the grass floret. 1
Scientific Name
Claviceps purpurea 1
Conservation Status
Not Evaluated 3
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Ascomycota, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life
In the Other Atlases
Sources
1. Claviceps purpurea, Wikipedia
  • Lead paragraph
    Claviceps purpurea is an ergot fungus that grows on the ears of rye and related cereal and forage plants.
  • Life cycle
    Later, the Sphacelia segetum convert into a hard dry Sclerotium clavus inside the husk of the floret.
View the Source
2. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
3. GBIF (IUCN Red List category): GBIF IUCN Red List category for Claviceps purpurea
GBIF (IUCN Red List category)GBIF taxon key 9378152, category field
Quote, GBIF taxon key 9378152, category field
"category": "NOT_EVALUATED"
View the Source
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
International Union for Conservation of NatureView the Source
Wikidata: Ergot
Wikidata Q217227, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: AscomycotaView the Source
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