Cladosporium magnusianum (Jaap) M.B. Ellis is probably not involved in alveld

Alveld occurs only when lambs graze Narthecium ossifragum (L.) Hudson (Ender, 1955) and saponins in the plant have been thought to be responsible for the liver lesions that result in phylloerythrin retention and photosensitization. A fungus, Cladosporium magnusianum (Jaap) M.B. Ellis, was found on N. ossifragum in alveld pastures. The present work was therefore undertaken to investigate whether C magnusianum cultures alone or in combination with sarsasapogenin, the major sapogenin in N. ossifragum, had any toxic effect on mammals or mammalian tissue.