sclerotium

1. In fungi, a variably sized resting body composed of a hardened mass of hyphae with or without host tissue, usually with a darkened rind, from which fruit bodies, stromata, conidiophores, or mycelia may develop. 2. The hardened resting condition of the plasmodium of Myxomycetes.

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scle·ro·tium sklə-'rō-sh(ē-)əm n, pl -tia -sh(ē-)ə a compact mass of hardened mycelium (as an ergot) stored with reserve food material that in some higher fungi becomes detached and remains dormant until a favorable opportunity for growth occurs

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scle·ro·ti·um (sklə-roґshe-əm) [L. sclerotica hard] 1. in fungi, a hard mass of intertwined mycelia, usually with pigmented walls resistant to adverse environmental conditions; it will germinate to produce new hyphae under favorable conditions or in response to a chemical stimulus from a prospective host. 2. in certain protozoa, a multinucleate hard cyst into which the plasmodium divides in response to adverse environmental conditions, such as desiccation; sclerotia will germinate and fuse together to produce a new plasmodium under favorable conditions.