Ergot (/ ˈ ɜːr ɡ ə t / UR-gət) or ergot fungi refers to a group of fungi of the genus Claviceps. [1] The most prominent member of this group is Claviceps purpurea ("rye ergot fungus").

May 25, 2022 · Ergot is a fungus that can grow on grains such as rye and wheat. Symptoms of ergot poisoning or ergotism vary but include dizziness, convulsions, and psychosis. In the past, midwives and doctors...

Ergotism (pron. / ˈɜːrɡətˌɪzəm / UR-gət-iz-əm) is the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, traditionally due to the ingestion of the alkaloids produced by the Claviceps purpurea fungus—from the Latin clava "club" or clavus "nail" and -ceps for "head", i.e. the purple club-headed fungus—that infects rye and other cereals, and more recently by the...

Ergot is a fungus that grows on rye and less commonly on other grasses such as wheat. Ergot has an interesting history. During the Middle Ages, ergotism, a severe reaction to...

Mar 12, 2025 · ergot, fungal disease of cereal grasses, especially rye, caused by species of the ascomycete fungus Claviceps. The disease decreases the production of viable grains by infected plants and can contaminate harvests.

Claviceps purpurea is an ergot fungus that grows on the ears of rye and related cereal and forage plants. Consumption of grains or seeds contaminated with the survival structure of this fungus, the ergot sclerotium, can cause ergotism in humans and other mammals.

Most commonly attacking rye, ergot infects and replaces the cereal grain with a dark fungal body called a “sclerotium.” When made into bread or otherwise ingested (e.g. barley beer), it causes ergotism, also known as “St. Anthony’s Fire” or “Devil’s curse.”

Sep 30, 2024 · Ergotism, or ergot poisoning, is when a person or animal eats food that has been contaminated with a fungus called C. purpurea. The fungus is most commonly found in rye, but it can affect other...

Ergotism, a condition caused by ingesting ergot fungi-contaminated grains, can lead to severe symptoms requiring prompt treatment. Treatment options typically aim to manage symptoms and prevent complications.

Ergot is known to be a fungal disease caused by fungi in the Claviceps genus. This genus' species are unique in that they only infect the host plant's ovaries; no other parts of the plant are infected.