Ichthyothere

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Ichthyothere
Ichthyothere elliptica.jpg
Ichthyothere elliptica
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Millerieae
Subtribe: Espeletiinae
Genus: Ichthyothere
Mart., 1830
Synonyms
  • TorrentiaVell.
  • LatreilleaDC.

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. These plants' active constituent is a chemical called ichthyothereol, which is a polyyne compound that is highly toxic to fish and mammals. [4] Ichthyothere terminalis leaves have traditionally been used to make poisoned bait by indigenous peoples of the lower Amazon basin. [4]

Ichthyothereol, a potent fish poison found in members of this genus Ichthyothereol skeletal.png
Ichthyothereol, a potent fish poison found in members of this genus

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. [5]

Species

Species accepted by the Plants of the World Online as of December 2022: [6]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ichthyothereol</span> Chemical compound

Ichthyothereol is a toxic polyyne compound found in the leaves and flowers of several plants in South and Central America. These plant sources and their extracts are known for their toxic effects on fish, and have long been used by various native tribes in the lower Amazon basin for fishing. The name of the genus Ichthyothere, the members of which contain noticeable amounts of the natural product in their leaves, literally translates as fish poison. It is so toxic, fish will jump out of the water if Ichthyothere terminalis leaves are used as bait. This chemical is also found in the leaves and flowers of Dahlia coccinea. The actual chemical was isolated by several different groups and its full chemical structure determined in 1965. The first total synthesis was published in 2001.

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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. 1 2 Cascon, Seiva C.; Mors, Walter B.; Tursch, Bernard M.; Aplin, Robin T.; Durham, Lois J. (1965). "Ichthyothereol and Its Acetate, the Active Polyacetylene Constituents of Ichthyothere terminalis (Spreng.) Malme, a Fish Poison from the Lower Amazon". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 87 (22): 5237–5241. doi:10.1021/ja00950a044. ISSN   0002-7863. PMID   5844817.
  5. ↑ Molecular phylogenetics of the Espeletia complex (Asteraceae)
  6. ↑ "Ichthyothere Mart". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
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