Claviceps Purpurea (Noun)
Meaning
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.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The rare appearance of claviceps purpurea growth on rye crops led scientists to the discovery of its medicinally important alkaloids.
- Claviceps purpurea, commonly known as ergot, forms compact black masses of branching filaments that replace many grains of the infected cereal plant.
- Scientists once thought claviceps purpurea was a sign of divine judgment, but it was later understood to be a fungus with great medicinal properties.
- Ergot, or claviceps purpurea, grows in symbiosis with the cereal plant but ultimately poisons it by replacing its seeds.
- Historically, the occurrence of claviceps purpurea contamination led to widespread human intoxication through the consumption of ergot-tainted grains.