Method of Developing Claviceps purpurea

About August 10,1907, one of us collected quantities of the sclerotia of Claviceps purpurea Tul. in the heads of rye (Secale cereals) which had come up volunteer in a field of oats near Swan, Noble Co., IN. 

On the later date quantities of sclerotia of the several collections were enclosed separately in ordinary screen wire and put on the ground under a grape arbor. They were not disturbed until April 6, 1908. On that date, they were brought to the laboratory, placed on moist sand in a covered slender dish and kept at room temperature. 

On April 18, 1908, we noticed evidence of germination in the sclerotia from the rye. There were tardy developments in all cases so that it was May 23rd, before all stromata had developed. 

Christensen 1939 Cooke 1966 Cooke 1967 Cooke 1970 Hadley 1968 McCrea 1931 Mitchel 1968 Nisbet 1977 

April 19,1908 (some of the stromata at least 24 hours old). The first indication of development is the rupture of the cortex of the sclerotium and appearance of a white globose head 0.5 mm. in diameter. This ascigerous portion is pushed up on a stem, increases in diameter and is sharply differentiated from the stem. The stem is pale lilac broad at the base and tapering toward the apex. 

---