Sclerotium

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Sclerotium \Scle*ro"ti*um\, n.; pl. {Sclerotia}. [NL., fr. Gr.
     sklhro`s hard.]
     1. (Bot.) A hardened body formed by certain fungi, as by the
        {Claviceps purpurea}, which produces ergot.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. (Zool.) The mature or resting stage of a plasmodium.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Sclerotium
       n 1: form genus of sterile imperfect fungi; many form sclerotia;
            some cause sclerotium disease in plants [syn: {genus
            Sclerotium}]
       2: compact usually dark-colored mass of hardened mycelium
          constituting a vegetative food-storage body in various
          true fungi; detaches when mature and can give rise to new
          growth