sclerotium

noun, plural scle·ro·ti·a [skli-roh-shee-uh] /sklɪˈroʊ ʃi ə/. Mycology.

1. a vegetative, resting food-storage body in certain higher fungi, composed of a compact mass of hardened mycelia.

noun plural -tia (-ʃɪə)

1. a compact mass of hyphae, that is formed by certain fungi and gives rise to new fungal growth or spore-producing structures