Claviceps

Ergot fungi and relatives

Within the Ascomycota, the family belongs to the Pyrenomycetes, characterised by having the asci in a specialised fruiting , the perithecium: a sac-like cavity with a narrow opening. In this family the perithecia are emdedded in a stroma. The ascospores are needle-like, almost as long as the ascus, often septate.

In Epichloe the stroma is a white, eventually brown, layer on a grass culm; here first conidia are formed, later the perithecia, sunken in the stroma.

On grass flowers infected by Claviceps initially a superficial mycelium develops on which conidia are formed (together with a sweet liquid that attracts flies and moths). Later the ovary is transformed into a conspicious sclerotium, on which after the winter mushroom-like stromata develop.

references

Alexopoulos, Mims & Blackwell (1996a), Pažoutová, Olšovská, Linka, Kolínská & Flieger (2000a), Pažoutová (2002a).

15/12/2014

Ergot fungi and relatives

Within the Ascomycota, the family belongs to the Pyrenomycetes, characterised by having the asci in a specialised fruiting , the perithecium: a sac-like cavity with a narrow opening. In this family the perithecia are emdedded in a stroma. The ascospores are needle-like, almost as long as the ascus, often septate.

In Epichloe the stroma is a white, eventually brown, layer on a grass culm; here first conidia are formed, later the perithecia, sunken in the stroma.

On grass flowers infected by Claviceps initially a superficial mycelium develops on which conidia are formed (together with a sweet liquid that attracts flies and moths). Later the ovary is transformed into a conspicious sclerotium, on which after the winter mushroom-like stromata develop.

references

Alexopoulos, Mims & Blackwell (1996a), Pažoutová, Olšovská, Linka, Kolínská & Flieger (2000a), Pažoutová (2002a).

15/12/2014