1. A fungus that infects various cereal plants forming compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many grains of the plant; source of medicinally important alkaloids and of lysergic acid
   "The grain inspector checked the rye for Claviceps purpurea contamination";
   - ergot

Type of: fungus

Part of: Claviceps, genus Claviceps

Encyclopedia: Claviceps purpurea