Ichthyothere

Ichthyothere
Ichthyothere elliptica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Heliantheae
Genus: Ichthyothere
Mart., 1830
Synonyms
  • Torrentia Vell.
  • Latreillea DC.

Ichthyothere is a genus of flowering plants, found in parts of South America (the Amazon) and Central America.[1][2][3]

The name ichthyothere literally translates as fish poison. This plant's active constituent is a chemical called ichthyothereol, which is a polyacetylene compound so toxic to fish that they will jump out of the water if Ichthyothere terminalis leaves are used as bait.

Ichthyothereol, 3-hydroxy-2-(trans-non-1-ene-3,5,7-triynyl)tetrahydropyran

This genus is characterized by the small capitulum with few (usually one or two) fertile ray florets. It lacks an expanded outer series of herbaceous involucral bracts or phyllaries. These tend to be much reduced.

Ichthyothere scandens and Ichthyothere garcia-barrigae, both found at elevations above 1,000m, belong to a unique subgenus within Ichthyothere. The other species are small herbs with an erect stem, showing tightly clustered or glomerulate groups of capitula. They occur below 1,000 m elevation.

Its taxonomic status has been revised several times. It was classified in the subtribes Melampodiinae, Milleriinae and then in a group of unclassified taxa. Recent molecular phylogenetic research has now placed the genus Ichthyothere in the subtribe Espeletiinae. It may be a sister taxon to the Espeletia complex.[4]

Species
  1. Ichthyothere agrestis
  2. Ichthyothere connata
  3. Ichthyothere cordata
  4. Ichthyothere davidsei
  5. Ichthyothere elliptica
  6. Ichthyothere garcia-barrigae
  7. Ichthyothere grandifolia
  8. Ichthyothere granvillei
  9. Ichthyothere hirsuta
  10. Ichthyothere integrifolia
  11. Ichthyothere latifolia
  12. Ichthyothere macdanielii
  13. Ichthyothere matogrossensis
  14. Ichthyothere mollis'
  15. Ichthyothere palustris
  16. Ichthyothere perfoliata
  17. Ichthyothere peruviana
  18. Ichthyothere scandens
  19. Ichthyothere suffruticosa
  20. Ichthyothere terminalis

References

  1. ↑ Martius, Carl Friedrich Philipp von. 1830. Repertorium für die Pharmacie 35: 195
  2. ↑ Tropicos, Ichthyothere Mart.
  3. ↑ Robinson H., 1980 Studies in the Heliantheae (Asteraceae). XXVI. New species of Ichthyothere. Phytologia 47: 128-128
  4. ↑ Molecular phylogenetics of the Espeletia complex (Asteraceae)