sclerotium

American  

[skli-roh-shee-uhm] / sklɪˈroʊ ʃi əm /

noun

Mycology.

plural

sclerotia

1. a vegetative, resting food-storage body in certain higher fungi, composed of a compact mass of hardened mycelia.

---

sclerotium British  

/ sklɪəˈrəʊʃɪəm /

noun

1. a compact mass of hyphae, that is formed by certain fungi and gives rise to new fungal growth or spore-producing structures

---

Other Word Forms

• sclerotial adjective
• sclerotioid adjective

Etymology

Origin of sclerotium

From New Latin, dating back to 1810–20; see origin at sclerotin, -ium

Example Sentences

The sclerotium is a black-violet, slightly curved, conical body, a few millimeters to up to six centimeters in length that can develop in place of a pollen grain.

From Scientific American • May 17, 2013

Ergot is the name given to the spore, the sclerotium, of the parasitic filamentous fungus Claviceps purpurea, which attacks various cereal grains and wild grasses, especially rye.

From Scientific American • May 17, 2013

The plants of this species are always found springing from an oblong sclerotium; hence the name sclerotipes.

From Student's Hand-book of Mushrooms of America, Edible and Poisonous by Taylor, Thomas

Where the filaments are so small and close that they form very compact bodies, constituting those solid irregular products called sclerotium, it is scleroid or tuberculous mycelium.

From Student's Hand-book of Mushrooms of America, Edible and Poisonous by Taylor, Thomas

P. about 1 cm. white, exp. umb. even; g. adnate; s. 1.5-4 cm. thin, white, root glabrous and springing from a sclerotium; sp. 4-6 � 2-3. racemosa, Pers.

From European Fungus Flora: Agaricaceae by Massee, George