sclerotium
/skləˈroʊʃiəm/
noun
- A hard, resting mass of fungal tissue that can survive harsh conditions and later grow into a new fungus.
- The sclerotium of the ergot fungus can survive in soil for many years.
- Some fungi produce a sclerotium that looks like a small, dark seed.
- Farmers watch for sclerotia in their fields because they can cause crop diseases.