Ergot - Claviceps purpurea

Ergot grows on grasses and cereal crops. It is usually recorded as the purplish-black, hard, horn-shaped growths or sclerotia, which replace the seed or grain in the flowerhead.  The sclerotium overwinters on the soil and small pinkish-brown fertile heads on violet stems arise in Spring, releasing ascospores in time to infect new grass flowerheads.

Field photos, noting substrate and associated grass species.

Grasslands and grain crops

July to November

Ergot contains poisonous alkaloids.  When eaten by humans or animals in infected grain, it causes ergotism or St. Anthony's Fire.  Symptoms include gangrene, hallucinations and convulsions, and in the past untreated grain has caused epidemics.