Claviceps purpurea (Fries) Tulasne, 1853
rye ergot fungus
on Poaceae

Molinia caerulea, Hoenderloo, Hoge Veluwe: affected plant

detail

sclerotia (with infection by the hyperparasite Fusarium lolii)

Lolium perenne, Belgium, prov. Namur, Leignon © Jean-Yves Baugnée

Phleum pratense, Loenen (Ge) © Arnold Grosscurt
host plants
Poaceae, oligophagous
Agrostis; Alopecurus arundinaceus, geniculatus, pratensis; Ammophila arenaria; Anthoxanthum odoratum; Arrhenatherum elatius; Avena; Brachypodium pinnatum, sylvaticum; Bromopsisinermis; Bromus; Calamagrostis epigeios, varia; Dactylis glomerata; Deschampsia cespitosa; Elymus; Elytrigia atherica, repens; Festuca rubra, valesiaca; Glyceria fluitans; Holcus lanatus, mollis; Hordeum murinum, vulgare; Koeleria pyramidata; Leymus arenarius; Lolium perenne; Molinia caerulea; Nardus stricta; Phalaris canariensis; Phalaroides arundinacea; Phleum pratense; Phragmites australis; Poa; Schedonorus arundinaceus, giganteus, pratensis; Secale cereale; Sesleria alba, caerulea; Spartina anglica; Stipa pekinensis; Trisetum flavescens; Triticum.
Elytrgia atherica and Spartina anglica are recorded by Lennart van IJzerloo. On Avena extremely rare.
synonyms
Claviceps microcephala (Wallroth) Tulasne, 1853. Pažoutová ao (2000a) have demonstrated that within the species C. purpurea three, not sharply defined, chemo-races do exist, growing on a wide variatie of grass species, in moderately dry, wet, and brackish vegetations, respectively. This eliminates the basis for (among others) microcephala as a separate species. C. sesleriae Stäger, 1906, is cited as a synonym of purpurea by Pažoutová (2002a).
notes
Buhr (1964b) and other authors do not consider C. purpurea a true gall. Indeed does the sclerotium entirely consist of fungal tissue, therefore isn’t a gall. But the malformation of the inflorescence that occurs at least under strong infestation certainly is a gall.
parasites
Fusarium lolii, Neobarya aurantiaca.
references
Blumer (1946a), Buhr (1964a, 1965a), Chinery (2011a), Doppelbaur & Doppelbaur (1973a), Ellis & Ellis (1997a), Gönczö & Révay (1981a), Groom (2011a), Jage, Klenke, Kruse ao (2016a), Jage, Kruse, Kummer ao (2013a), Jage, Scholler & Klenke (2010a), Klenke & Scholler (2015a), Kozłowska, Mułenko & Heluta (2015a), Kruse (2014a, 2019a), Kruse & Jage (2014a), Losa España (1942a), Melgarejo Nárdiz, García-Jiménez, Jordá Gutiérrez ao (2010a, Mułenko, Sałata & Wołczańska (1995a), Negrean (1995a, 1996b), Pažoutová (2002a), Pažoutová ao (2000a), Redfern & Shirley (2011a), Roskam (2009a), Ruszkiewicz-Michalska (2006a), Scheuer & Bechter (2012a), Schmid-Heckel (1985a), Scholler & Schubert (1993a), Unamuno (1941a).