{{Short description|Genus of plants}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Ichthyothere elliptica.jpg | image_caption = ''[[Ichthyothere elliptica]]'' | display_parents = 3 | taxon = Ichthyothere | authority = [[Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius|Mart.]], 1830 | synonyms_ref = | synonyms = * ''Torrentia'' <small>Vell.</small> * ''Latreillea'' <small>DC.</small> }}
'''''Ichthyothere''''' is a genus of flowering plants, found in parts of [[South America]] (the [[Amazon basin|Amazon]]) and [[Central America]].<ref>Martius, Carl Friedrich Philipp von. 1830. Repertorium für die Pharmacie 35: 195</ref><ref>[http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40030421 Tropicos, ''Ichthyothere'' Mart.]</ref><ref>Robinson H., 1980 Studies in the Heliantheae (Asteraceae). XXVI. New species of ''Ichthyothere''. Phytologia 47: 128-128</ref>
The name ''ichthyothere'' literally translates as ''fish poison''. These plants' active constituent is a chemical called [[ichthyothereol]], which is a [[polyyne]] compound that is highly [[toxic]] to [[fish]] and [[mammals]].<ref name="CasconMors1965">{{cite journal|last1=Cascon|first1=Seiva C.|last2=Mors|first2=Walter B.|last3=Tursch|first3=Bernard M.|last4=Aplin|first4=Robin T.|last5=Durham|first5=Lois J.|title=Ichthyothereol and Its Acetate, the Active Polyacetylene Constituents of ''Ichthyothere terminalis'' (Spreng.) Malme, a Fish Poison from the Lower Amazon|journal=Journal of the American Chemical Society|volume=87|issue=22|year=1965|pages=5237–5241|issn=0002-7863|doi=10.1021/ja00950a044|pmid=5844817}}</ref> ''Ichthyothere terminalis'' [[Leaf|leaves]] have traditionally been used to make poisoned bait by indigenous peoples of the lower [[Amazon basin]].<ref name="CasconMors1965" />
[[Image:ichthyothereol skeletal.png|thumb|left|200px|[[Ichthyothereol]], a potent fish poison found in members of this genus]]
This genus is characterized by the small [[Head (botany)|capitulum]] with few (usually one or two) fertile ray florets. It lacks an expanded outer series of herbaceous involucral [[bract]]s 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 [[herb]]s with an erect [[Plant stem|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.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20040222171941/http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/full/89/7/1074#F2 Molecular phylogenetics of the Espeletia complex (Asteraceae)]</ref>
;Species Species accepted by the [[Plants of the World Online]] as of December 2022:<ref name=POWO>{{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:9464-1 |title=''Ichthyothere'' Mart. |date=2022 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|access-date=1 December 2022}}</ref> {{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
*''[[Ichthyothere connata]]'' {{small|S.F.Blake}} *''[[Ichthyothere cordata]]'' {{small|Malme}} *''[[Ichthyothere cunabi]]'' {{small|Mart.}} *''[[Ichthyothere davidsei]]'' {{small|H.Rob.}} *''[[Ichthyothere elliptica]]'' {{small|H.Rob.}} *''[[Ichthyothere garcia-barrigae]]'' {{small|H.Rob.}} *''[[Ichthyothere grandifolia]]'' {{small|S.F.Blake}} *''[[Ichthyothere granvillei]]'' {{small|H.Rob.}} *''[[Ichthyothere hirsuta]]'' {{small|Gardner}} *''[[Ichthyothere integrifolia]]'' {{small|Baker}} *''[[Ichthyothere latifolia]]'' {{small|Baker}} *''[[Ichthyothere linearis]]'' {{small|Baker}} *''[[Ichthyothere macdanielii]]'' {{small|H.Rob.}} *''[[Ichthyothere matogrossensis]]'' {{small|R.C.A.Pereira & Semir}} *''[[Ichthyothere mollis]]'' {{small|Baker}} *''[[Ichthyothere palustris]]'' {{small|Malme}} *''[[Ichthyothere pastazensis]]'' {{small|H.Rob.}} *''[[Ichthyothere perfoliata]]'' {{small|R.C.A.Pereira & Semir}} *''[[Ichthyothere peruviana]]'' {{small|Baker}} *''[[Ichthyothere petiolata]]'' {{small|H.Rob.}} *''[[Ichthyothere rufa]]'' {{small|Gardner}} *''[[Ichthyothere sasakiae]]'' {{small|Frisby & D.J.N.Hind}} *''[[Ichthyothere scandens]]'' {{small|S.F.Blake}} *''[[Ichthyothere suffruticosa]]'' {{small|Gardner}} *''[[Ichthyothere terminalis]]'' {{small|S.F.Blake}} *''[[Ichthyothere ternifolia]]'' {{small|Baker}} *''[[Ichthyothere woodii]]'' {{small|Frisby & D.J.N.Hind}} }}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3147701}}
[[Category:Ichthyothere| ]] [[Category:Asteraceae genera]]