CLAVICEPS PURPUREA

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Claviceps purpurea mean? 

• CLAVICEPS PURPUREA (noun)
  The noun CLAVICEPS PURPUREA has 1 sense:

1. 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

  Familiarity information: CLAVICEPS PURPUREA used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CLAVICEPS PURPUREA (noun)

Sense 1

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Synonyms:

Claviceps purpurea; ergot

Hypernyms ("Claviceps purpurea" is a kind of...):

fungus (an organism of the kingdom Fungi lacking chlorophyll and feeding on organic matter; ranging from unicellular or multicellular organisms to spore-bearing syncytia)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "Claviceps purpurea"):

rye ergot (a sclerotium or hardened mass of mycelium)

Holonyms ("Claviceps purpurea" is a member of...):

Claviceps; genus Claviceps (fungi parasitic upon the ovaries of various grasses)

 Context examples 

Used to relieve stomach/intestinal symptoms, menopause (hot flashes, sweats, restlessness, and insomnia), headaches, and tachycardia, Belladona Phenobarbital Ergotamine is a combination of an Atropa belladonna alkaloid, a Claviceps purpurea (Ergotamine) alkaloid, and a synthetic barbiturate.

(Belladonna/Phenobarbital/Ergotamine, NCI Thesaurus)