AG Medical Botany. 
one exclusively confined to Physic ; and as your Journal 
includes Materia-medica within its plan, and is, in all prob- 
ability, more ecmarcns known in our own and foreign 
countries, than any other American periodical publication, 
I take the liberty of forwarding it to you 
Yours Sir, very yrespectflly, &e. 
LLIAM TULLY. 
SCLEROTIUM-CLAVUS. Decand. 
Clavus-Secalis-Cerealis, Clavus-Secalinus, Mater-Seca- 
lis, Secale-cornutum, Secale-corniculatum, Secale-luxurtans. 
Horned-Rye, pease Ergot of Rye, Mother of Rye. 
Ord. nat. Fungi Lin 
Tucan United States. 
This article is parasitic within the glumes of some of the 
Gramina, most commonly of Secale-Cereale, but frequently 
of Triticum-sativum, Hordeum-vulgare, and Avena-Sativa. 
{t is more rarely found upon T'riticum-repens, Avena-elatior, 
Alopecurus-pratensis, rundo-Cinnoides, sisi Vike 
Phalaris- Canariensis, Jolene dendea Phleum-pr 
tense, &c. 
There have been three potas opinions, respecting the 
origin and nature of the Clavu 
First. It is affirmed to bea stenicd change, or modifica- 
tion of the seed of the plant, upon which it is found. This 
has been supported by the assertion of Teissier, that he 
found seeds, one half of which were sound rye, and the 
other half Clavus ; and by the assertion of others, that in 
hemical composition, it approximates nearer to the seeds 
of the plants upon which it is found, than to any other vege- 
iable substance. 
As to the statement of Teissier, it is to be remarked, that, 
as no one but himself has ever witnessed such a fact, it is 
highly probable, that he may have been incorrect in his ob- 
servations 5 but ameniing that he was not, the phenomenon 
have but little more aN aban it is conctiaaal that the 
composition of the seeds of the different plants, upon which 
