The ergot fungus growing on wild rye grass in Edinburgh, Scotland 2009.

The fungus is responsible for poisonings termed "St Anthony's Fire" and incidents of mass poisonings blamed witchcraft.

When the plant becomes infected with the ergot fungus, purple-black structures termed sclerotia grow in place of seeds. Sclerotia contain a cocktail of toxic alkaloids, some of which have medicinal uses, and others which are psychotropic toxins closely related to LSD. Symptoms of poisoning include hallucinations, constriction of blood vessels, gangrene (which can lead toloss of limbs).

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