v] Ergot and Clover Sickness 59 
forms the grain with a network of hyphae. The free 
ends of these become swollen and conidia are formed at 
these swollen ends. These are set free and others are 
formed at the ends from which they have fallen. The 
hyphae also secrete a sticky sugary substance in which 
the conidia become embedded. This is known as the 
honey dew stage because of the small drops of sticky 
substance which are formed. This sugary substance 
is very attractive to insects. They carry it about with 
them and so transfer the conidia to other flowers. 
b 
Fig. 21. Claviceps purpurea. (2) Section of fructification showing 
(n) the cavities containing asci; d, asci; a, ascospores ; b, germinating 
ascospore. (Magnified.) (After Percival.) 
A conidium which in this way reaches the flower of a 
susceptible plant sends out a germ tube which penetrates 
the base of the flower, a mycelium is formed similar 
to that of the parent from which the conidium was 
formed, and in its turn this very soon produces a crop 
of conidia. A considerable number of flowers may 
thus become infected from a single sclerotium. A large 
number of spores are carried to flowers which they are 
not capable of infecting and here they die. The fungus 
