 The infection process mimics a pollen grain growing into an ovary during fertilization.Because infection requires access of the fungal spore to the stigma, plants infected by "C. purpurea" are mainly outcrossing species with open flowers, such as rye ("Secale cereale") and Alopecurus.The proliferating fungal mycelium then destroys the plant ovary and connects with the vascular bundle originally intended for feeding the developing seed.