''Claviceps zizaniae'' is a

plant pathogen Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomyc ...

that causes

ergot Ergot ( ) or ergot fungi refers to a group of fungi of the genus ''Claviceps''. The most prominent member of this group is ''Claviceps purpurea'' ("rye ergot fungus"). This fungus grows on rye and related plants, and produces alkaloids that ca ...

in the

wild rice Wild rice, also called manoomin, Canada rice, Indian rice, or water oats, is any of four species of grasses that form the genus ''Zizania'', and the grain that can be harvested from them. The grain was historically gathered and eaten in both ...

species ''Zizania aquatica'' and ''Z. palustris''. Originally described in 1920 as ''Spermoedia zizaniae'' by Faith Fyles, it was transferred to '' Claviceps'' in 1959 by Maria E. Pantidou. The

new combination ''Combinatio nova'', abbreviated ''comb. nov.'' (sometimes ''n. comb.''), is Latin for "new combination". It is used in taxonomic biology literature when a new name is introduced based on a pre-existing name. The term should not to be confused wi ...

, however, was not published validly as Pantidou "failed to provide a full and direct reference to the place of publication". The binomial was published validly by Scott Redhead and colleagues in 2009.

References

Fungi described in 1920 Fungal plant pathogens and diseases Monocot diseases Clavicipitaceae {{fungus-plant-disease-stub