page_title: Ichthyothere
hierarchical_section_title: Ichthyothere
caption_attribution_description: English: Skeletal structure of ichthyothereol
context_page_description: Ichthyothere is a genus of flowering plants, found in parts of South America and Central America.
  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. Ichthyothere terminalis leaves have traditionally been used to make poisoned bait by indigenous peoples of the lower Amazon basin.
  This genus is characterized by the small capitulum with few 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.
context_section_description: Ichthyothere is a genus of flowering plants, found in parts of South America (the Amazon) and Central America.
  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. Ichthyothere terminalis leaves have traditionally been used to make poisoned bait by indigenous peoples of the lower Amazon basin.
  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.
  Species
  Ichthyothere agrestis
  Ichthyothere connata
  Ichthyothere cordata
  Ichthyothere davidsei
  Ichthyothere elliptica
  Ichthyothere garcia-barrigae
  Ichthyothere grandifolia
  Ichthyothere granvillei
  Ichthyothere hirsuta
  Ichthyothere integrifolia
  Ichthyothere latifolia
  Ichthyothere macdanielii
  Ichthyothere matogrossensis
  Ichthyothere mollis
  Ichthyothere palustris
  Ichthyothere perfoliata
  Ichthyothere peruviana
  Ichthyothere scandens
  Ichthyothere suffruticosa
  Ichthyothere terminalis
caption: Ichthyothereol, a potent fish poison found in members of this genus
exif: {}