Iresine is a genus of flowering plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. It contains 20 to 25 species, all of which are native to the American tropics. The generic name is derived from the Greek word (erios), meaning "wooly", referring to the trichome-covered flowers.Bloodleaf is a common name for those species that have colored foliage, and these are often cultivated as ornamental plants. Some species are additives to versions of the hallucinogenic drink Ayahuasca.