7,617
edits
Changes
no edit summary
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Cannabis sativa''
| image = Marijuana.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Urticales]]
| familia = [[Cannabaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Cannabis]]''
| species = '''''C. sativa'''''
| binomial = ''Cannabis sativa''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Subspecies]]
| subdivision = ''C. sativa'' L. subsp. ''sativa''<br>''C. sativa'' L. subsp. ''indica''
}}
'''''[[Cannabis]] sativa''''' is an [[herb]] that has been used by humans throughout recorded history for its [[fiber]], known as [[hemp]], for its [[Cannabis (drug)|psychological and physiological effects]] and for the [[nutrition|nourishment]] of its oil-bearing [[seed]]s. Different parts of the plant have different uses, and different varieties are cultivated in different ways and harvested at different times, depending on the purpose for which it is grown.
==Species, subspecies, and varieties==
The following taxonomic treatment of ''Cannabis'' was published in 1976 by Ernest Small and Arthur Cronquist. <ref name="small1976a">Small, E. and A. Cronquist. 1976. A practical and natural taxonomy for ''Cannabis''. ''Taxon'' '''25'''(4): 405–435.</ref> Other taxonomic treatments of ''Cannabis'' are valid, and utilized by some botanists.
:'''''Cannabis'''''
::'''''Cannabis sativa''''' L.
:::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa''
::::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''sativa''
::::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''spontanea''
:::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica''
::::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''indica''
::::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''kafiristanica''
=== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' ===
==== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''sativa'' ====
[[Correct name (botany)|Correct name]]: ''Cannabis sativa'' L. subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''sativa''
This [[taxon]] includes hemp [[landrace]]s and cultivars grown for fiber or seed production. Fiber strains are usually tall and unbranched. Seed strains are often shorter, and may be branched or unbranched. Some strains are [[monoecious]]. Plants of certified industrial hemp strains produce a relatively high ratio of [[cannabidiol|CBD]] to [[Tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] (about 20:1), and are not suitable for drug use.<ref name=small1976a/><ref name="meijer1999a">de Meijer, E. P. M. 1999. ''Cannabis'' germplasm resources. In: Ranalli P. (ed.). ''Advances in Hemp Research'', Haworth Press, Binghamton, NY, pp. 131-151.</ref><ref name="hillig2004a">Hillig, Karl W. and Paul G. Mahlberg. 2004. [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/91/6/966 A chemotaxonomic analysis of cannabinoid variation in ''Cannabis'' (Cannabaceae)]. ''American Journal of Botany'' '''91'''(6): 966-975. Retrieved on 22 Feb 2007</ref>
==== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''spontanea'' ====
[[Correct name (botany)|Correct name]]: ''Cannabis sativa'' L. subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''spontanea'' ([[Nikolai Vavilov|Vavilov]]) Small & Cronq.
[[Synonym (botany)|Synonym]]: ''C. ruderalis'' Janisch.
This taxon includes wild or feral ''[[Cannabis]]'' plants. In the absence of [[artificial selection|selective breeding]], these plants have lost many of the traits they were originally selected for, and have acclimatized to their locales. Plants of this type are often short, branchless, and early-flowering. The plants usually have low levels of cannabinoids, and a low ratio of [[tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] to [[cannabidiol|CBD]], and thus are of little use as a source of drugs.<ref name=hillig2004a/> However, so-called "indica" drug strains are sometimes cross-bred with "ruderalis" to produce high THC plants having the hardiness and reduced height of "ruderalis".
The term "[[ruderal]]" was originally used in the former Soviet Union to describe populations of hemp that had escaped cultivation and adapted to the surrounding region. Plants of this type are widespread throughout central and eastern Europe, including Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, and Estonia. Similar populations can be found in most of the areas where hemp cultivation was once prevalent. The most notable region in North America is the midwest, though populations occur sporadically throughout the United States and Canada. These plants have escaped from cultivation more recently, and often grow larger than the ruderal plants in Europe.
''Cannabis'' users often call this feral ''Cannabis'' "ditch weed." Outside of its native range, it is regarded as an [[invasive species|invasive plant]]. Despite years of government-sponsored eradication programs, these feral plants still remain in bountiful abundance.
It has several times been proposed that this taxon be recognized as a distinct species, called ''C. ruderalis''.<ref name=”schultes1974a”>Schultes, R. E., W. M. Klein, T. Plowman, and T. E. Lockwood. 1974. ''Cannabis'': an example of taxonomic neglect. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''23''': 337–367.</ref><ref name="emboden1974a">Emboden, W.A. 1974. ''Cannabis'' – a polytypic genus. ''Economic Botany'' '''28''': 304-310.</ref><ref name=”anderson1980a”>[http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-anderson.php Anderson, L. C.] 1980. Leaf variation among ''Cannabis'' species from a controlled garden. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''28''': 61–69. Retrieved on 23 Feb 2007</ref>
=== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' ===
==== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''indica'' ====
[[Correct name (botany)|Correct name]]: ''Cannabis sativa'' L. subsp. ''indica'' (Lam.) Small & Cronq. var. ''indica'' (Lam.) Wehmer
[[Synonym (botany)|Synonym]]: ''C. indica'' Lam.
[[Image:indica leaf.jpg|thumb|right|Broad leaflets characteristic of wide-leafed varieties of ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''indica'']]
This taxon includes two types of ''Cannabis'' cultivated for drug production,<ref name=small1976a/> commonly referred to by ''Cannabis'' aficionados as "sativa" and "indica".
Narrow-leafed "sativa" drug strains and landraces are native to the Indian subcontinent, and are also cultivated in Africa, South and Central America, the Caribbean basin, and in other marijuana producing regions. These strains are usually tall, laxly branched, and relatively late-maturing.<ref name=”schultes1974a”>Schultes, R. E., W. M. Klein, T. Plowman, and T. E. Lockwood. 1974. ''Cannabis'': an example of taxonomic neglect. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''23''': 337–367.</ref> They have largely been replaced by so-called "indica/sativa" hybrids by commercial ''Cannabis'' growers because the hybrids often yield a larger crop in a shorter period of time.
Wide-leafed "indica" drug strains are traditionally cultivated in northwest [[India]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[Pakistan]] for the production of [[hashish]], and may have originated in the [[Hindu-Kush]] or [[Tian Shan]] mountain range. Due to the often harsh and variable climate of those regions, these strains and landraces are better suited for cultivation in temperate climates. Plants of this type are relatively short, conical, and densely branched, having characteristcally wide leaflets, and tend to produce a lower ratio of [[tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] to [[cannabidiol|CBD]] than the narrow-leafed drug strains <ref name=”schultes1974a”>Schultes, R. E., W. M. Klein, T. Plowman, and T. E. Lockwood. 1974. ''Cannabis'': an example of taxonomic neglect. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''23''': 337–367.</ref><ref name=”anderson1980a”>[http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-anderson.php Anderson, L. C.] 1980. Leaf variation among ''Cannabis'' species from a controlled garden. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''28''': 61–69. Retrieved on 23 Feb 2007</ref><ref name=hillig2004a/> Although many commercially available varieties are genetically fixed to produce relatively high levels of THC and low levels of CBD (which is not psychoactive),<ref name=hillig2004a/> some users report more of a "stoned" and less of a "high" effect from these varieties compared to the narrow-leafed strains. Differences in the terpenoid content of the essential oil may account for some of these differences.<ref name="mcpartland2001a">McPartland, J. M., and E. B. Russo. 2001. [http://www.omma1998.org/McPartland-Russo-JCANT%201(3-4)-2001.pdf ''Cannabis'' and ''Cannabis'' extracts: greater than the sum of their parts?] ''Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics'' '''1'''(3/4): 103-132. Retrieved on 26 Feb 2007</ref><ref name="hillig2004b">Hillig, Karl W. 2004. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T4R-4CPD4SG-1&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F31%2F2004&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=9e491613fa59a0a2cb5b5a3f83cd3118 A chemotaxonomic analysis of terpenoid variation in ''Cannabis'']. ''Biochemical Systematics and Ecology'' '''32''': 875-891. Retrieved on 23 Feb 2007</ref>
[[Image:SeedAndCaliper.jpg|thumb|right|A large seed of the hemp biotype of ''C. indica'', and a small seed of the feral biotype of the same putative species.]]
Anecdotal evidence suggests that when used recreationally, highs from "sativa" strains tend to produce clearer, "cerebral" highs, whereas highs from "indica" strains produce more "druggy" body highs, with emphasis on drowsiness, slight loss of [[motor coordination]], and increase appetite ("[[Health issues and the effects of cannabis|munchies]]"). To date, no undisputable chemical or pharmacological basis for these differing effects has been discovered.
It has often been proposed that this taxon be recognized as a distinct species, ''C. indica''. Most recently, on the basis of genetic, morphological, and chemotaxonomic analyses, Hillig assigned both the narrow-leaflet and wide-leaflet drug "biotypes", as well as southern and eastern Asian hemp (fiber/seed) landraces and wild Himalayan populations, to ''C. indica''.<ref name=”hillig2005a”>Hillig, Karl W. 2005. [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/klu/gres/2005/00000052/00000002/00004452 Genetic evidence for speciation in ''Cannabis'' (Cannabaceae)]. ''Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution'' '''52'''(2): 161-180. Retrieved on 23 Feb 2007</ref><ref name="hillig2004a">Hillig, Karl W. and Paul G. Mahlberg. 2004. [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/91/6/966 A chemotaxonomic analysis of cannabinoid variation in ''Cannabis'' (Cannabaceae)]. ''American Journal of Botany'' '''91'''(6): 966-975. Retrieved on 22 Feb 2007</ref><ref name=hillig2004b/><ref name=”hillig2005b”>Hillig, Karl William. 2005. A systematic investigation of ''Cannabis''. Doctoral Dissertation. Department of Biology, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana. Published by [http://wwwlib.umi.com/dxweb/gateway UMI]. Retrieved on 25 Feb 2007</ref>
==== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''kafiristanica'' ====
[[Correct name (botany)|Correct name]]: ''Cannabis sativa'' L. subsp. ''indica'' (Lam.) Small & Cronq. var. ''kafiristanica'' (Vavilov) Small & Cronq.
[[Synonym (botany)|Synonym]]: ''C. indica'' Lam. var. ''kafiristanica'' Vavilov.
This taxon includes wild or feral plants, mostly confined to the Indian subcontinent and other regions where ''Cannabis'' is grown for drug use and has escaped from cultivation. Individual plants may have low, similar, or high levels of THC relative to CBD. Plants with relatively high levels of Δ<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabidivarin (THCV) and/or cannabidivarin (CBDV) are also common in this group.<ref name=hillig2004a/> Compared with wild or feral plants of var. ''spontanea'', plants of this taxon are often taller and more branched. The achenes are usually very small. The inflorescenses of pistillate plants are often elongated, and the fruits (achenes) drop off the plants as they mature.
==Common uses==
{{main|Hemp|Cannabis (drug)}}
The tough fiber of the plant, [[cultivation|cultivated]] as [[hemp]], has numerous [[textile]] uses. Its seed, chiefly used as caged-bird feed, is a valuable source of protein. The [[flowers]] (and to a much lesser extent the leaves, stems, and seeds) contain [[psychoactive]] and physiologically active [[chemical compound]]s known as [[cannabinoids]] that are consumed for recreational, medicinal, and spiritual purposes. When so used, preparations of flowers (marijuana) and leaves and preparations derived from resinous extract ([[hashish]]) are consumed by smoking, vaporizing and oral ingestion. Historically, [[tincture]]s, [[tea]]s, and [[ointment]]s have also been common preparations.
==Plant physiology==
{{main|Cannabis}} <!--- needs resynch --->
[[Image:Cannabis sativa Koehler drawing.jpg|thumb|right|''Cannabis sativa'', scientific drawing from ''c''1900]]
''Cannabis'' [[Biological reproduction#Sexual reproduction|reproduces sexually]]. The [[flower]]s of the female plant are arranged in [[raceme]]s and can produce hundreds of seeds. Males plants shed their pollen and die several weeks prior to seed ripening on the female plants. Although genetic factors dispose a plant to become male or female, environmental factors including the [[Day|diurnal]] light cycle can alter sexual expression. Naturally occurring [[monoecious]] plants, with both male and female parts, are either [[infertility|sterile]] or [[fertile]] but artificially induced "[[hermaphrodites]]" (a commonly used misnomer) can have fully functional reproductive organs. "Feminized" seed sold by many commercial seed suppliers are derived from artificially "hermaphrodytic" females that lack the male gene, or by treating the seeds with hormones or silver thiosulfate.
A ''Cannabis'' plant in the vegetative growth phase of its life requires 18 hour light, 6 hour dark (more than 12 hours of light to stay vegetative). [[Flowering]] usually occurs when darkness exceeds 12 hours per day, and water is cut down The flowering cycle can last anywhere between five to ten weeks, depending on the strain and environmental conditions.
In soil, the optimum [[pH]] for the plant is 6.5 to 7.2. In [[hydroponics|hydroponic]] growing, the nutrient solution is best at 5.2 to 5.8, making ''Cannabis'' well-suited to hydroponics because this pH range is hostile to most bacteria and fungi.
*Cultivars primarily cultivated for their fiber, characterized by long [[Plant stem|stems]] and little branching.
*Cultivars grown for [[seed]] from which [[hemp oil]] is extracted.
*Cultivars grown for [[medicine|medicinal]] or [[recreational drug use|recreational]] purposes. A nominal if not legal distinction is often made between industrial hemp, with concentrations of psychoactive compounds far too low to be useful for that purpose, and marijuana.
==Pharmacology==
{{main|Cannabis (drug)}} <!---- summary section should be resynched to main ------->
Although the main psychoactive [[chemical compound]] in ''Cannabis'' is Δ<sup>9</sup>-[[tetrahydrocannabinol]] (THC), the plant is known to contain about sixty [[cannabinoid]]s; however, most of these "minor" cannabinoids are only produced in trace amounts. Besides THC, another cannabinoid produced in high concentrations by some plants is [[cannabidiol]] (CBD), which is not psychoactive but has recently been shown to block the effect of THC in the nervous system.<ref name=west1998>West, D. P, Ph.D. 1998. [http://www.gametec.com/hemp/hempandmj.html Hemp and Marijuana: Myths & Realities]. North American Industrial Hemp Council. Retrieved on 23 Apr 2007</ref> Differences in the chemical composition of ''Cannabis'' varieties may produce different effects in humans. Synthetic THC, called dronabinol, does not contain CBD, CBN, or other cannabinoids, which is one reason why its [[Pharmacology|pharmacological]] effects may differ significantly from those of natural ''Cannabis'' preparations.
Most commonly available ''Cannabis'' contains below 8% THC.<ref name=baker1982a>Baker, P. B., T. A. Gough, S. I. M. Johncock, B. J. Taylor, and L. T. Wyles. 1982. [http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/bulletin/bulletin_1982-01-01_3_page009.html Variation in the THC content in illicitly imported ''Cannabis'' products - Part II]. United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes. Retrieved on 25 Feb 2007</ref> Selective breeding and modern cultivation techniques like [[hydroponics]] have produced varieties with more than 15% THC {{Fact|date=February 2007}}. With varieties containing below 1% THC, such as those specifically cultivated for use as hemp, smoking may produce lightheadedness or mild headache but not intoxication. The THC content is also affected by the sex of the plant, with female plants generating substantially more resin than their male counterparts. Seedless floral clusters derived from unpollinated female plants usually have a higher THC content than seeded inflorescences, and are commonly known as ''sinsemilla'' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: "without seed").
==Chemical constituents==
*Δ<sup>9</sup>-[[Tetrahydrocannabinol]]
*α-[[Pinene]]<ref name="essential">[http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/82002171/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 Johannes Novak, Karin Zitterl-Eglseer, Stanley G. Deans, Chlodwig M. Franz. Essential oils of different cultivars of Cannabis sativa L. and their antimicrobial activity]</ref>
*[[Myrcene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*Trans-β-[[ocimene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*α-[[Terpinolene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*Trans-[[caryophyllene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*α-[[Humulene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*[[Caryophyllene]]-oxide,<ref name="essential">.</ref> with which some hashish detection dogs are trained<ref>[http://www.bojensen.net/EssentialOilsEng/EssentialOils13A/EssentialOils13A.htm Essential Oils]</ref>
==Gallery of images==
<gallery>
Image:Cannabis_sativa1.JPG|Cannabis plants
Image:Cannabis_sativa2.JPG|Cannabis plants
Image:Cannabis_sativa3.JPG|Cannabis plants
Image:Cannabis_sativa4.JPG|Cannabis plants
</gallery>
==References==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>
==External links ==
{{commons|Cannabis sativa}}
{{Wikispecies|Cannabis sativa}}
*[http://www.nap.edu/html/marimed/ Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base]
*[http://www.geopium.org/Photos/Maroc_Rif2005/Maroc_Rif2005.htm Several dozen photos of Moroccan cannabis cultivation]
*[http://seeds.dampkring.nl/?bwr_id=6289&alias=cannabis_marijuana_seeds Cannabis Males & females] (Kiwiseeds commerce site)
*[http://cannabis.seeds.dampkring.nl/?bwr_id=6818&alias=cannabis_marijuana_seeds Cloning cannabis plants] (Kiwiseeds commerce site)
*[http://cannabis.seeds.dampkring.nl/?bwr_id=6701&alias=cannabis_marijuana_seeds Cannabis seeds germination] (Kiwiseeds commerce site)
*[http://seeds.dampkring.nl/?bwr_id=6149&alias=cannabis_marijuana_seeds Marijuana photo gallery] (Kiwiseeds commerce site)
*[http://www.77seeds.com/sativa.html Cannabis sativa description and origins] (Commerce site)
*[http://www.canaseed.com/ Cannabis seed comparison] (Commerce site)
[[Category:Cannabis]]
[[Category:Cannabis strains]]
[[Category:Fiber plants]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants of Nepal]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Cannabis sativa''
| image = Marijuana.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Urticales]]
| familia = [[Cannabaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Cannabis]]''
| species = '''''C. sativa'''''
| binomial = ''Cannabis sativa''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]]
| subdivision_ranks = [[Subspecies]]
| subdivision = ''C. sativa'' L. subsp. ''sativa''<br>''C. sativa'' L. subsp. ''indica''
}}
'''''[[Cannabis]] sativa''''' is an [[herb]] that has been used by humans throughout recorded history for its [[fiber]], known as [[hemp]], for its [[Cannabis (drug)|psychological and physiological effects]] and for the [[nutrition|nourishment]] of its oil-bearing [[seed]]s. Different parts of the plant have different uses, and different varieties are cultivated in different ways and harvested at different times, depending on the purpose for which it is grown.
==Species, subspecies, and varieties==
The following taxonomic treatment of ''Cannabis'' was published in 1976 by Ernest Small and Arthur Cronquist. <ref name="small1976a">Small, E. and A. Cronquist. 1976. A practical and natural taxonomy for ''Cannabis''. ''Taxon'' '''25'''(4): 405–435.</ref> Other taxonomic treatments of ''Cannabis'' are valid, and utilized by some botanists.
:'''''Cannabis'''''
::'''''Cannabis sativa''''' L.
:::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa''
::::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''sativa''
::::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''spontanea''
:::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica''
::::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''indica''
::::''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''kafiristanica''
=== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' ===
==== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''sativa'' ====
[[Correct name (botany)|Correct name]]: ''Cannabis sativa'' L. subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''sativa''
This [[taxon]] includes hemp [[landrace]]s and cultivars grown for fiber or seed production. Fiber strains are usually tall and unbranched. Seed strains are often shorter, and may be branched or unbranched. Some strains are [[monoecious]]. Plants of certified industrial hemp strains produce a relatively high ratio of [[cannabidiol|CBD]] to [[Tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] (about 20:1), and are not suitable for drug use.<ref name=small1976a/><ref name="meijer1999a">de Meijer, E. P. M. 1999. ''Cannabis'' germplasm resources. In: Ranalli P. (ed.). ''Advances in Hemp Research'', Haworth Press, Binghamton, NY, pp. 131-151.</ref><ref name="hillig2004a">Hillig, Karl W. and Paul G. Mahlberg. 2004. [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/91/6/966 A chemotaxonomic analysis of cannabinoid variation in ''Cannabis'' (Cannabaceae)]. ''American Journal of Botany'' '''91'''(6): 966-975. Retrieved on 22 Feb 2007</ref>
==== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''spontanea'' ====
[[Correct name (botany)|Correct name]]: ''Cannabis sativa'' L. subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''spontanea'' ([[Nikolai Vavilov|Vavilov]]) Small & Cronq.
[[Synonym (botany)|Synonym]]: ''C. ruderalis'' Janisch.
This taxon includes wild or feral ''[[Cannabis]]'' plants. In the absence of [[artificial selection|selective breeding]], these plants have lost many of the traits they were originally selected for, and have acclimatized to their locales. Plants of this type are often short, branchless, and early-flowering. The plants usually have low levels of cannabinoids, and a low ratio of [[tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] to [[cannabidiol|CBD]], and thus are of little use as a source of drugs.<ref name=hillig2004a/> However, so-called "indica" drug strains are sometimes cross-bred with "ruderalis" to produce high THC plants having the hardiness and reduced height of "ruderalis".
The term "[[ruderal]]" was originally used in the former Soviet Union to describe populations of hemp that had escaped cultivation and adapted to the surrounding region. Plants of this type are widespread throughout central and eastern Europe, including Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, and Estonia. Similar populations can be found in most of the areas where hemp cultivation was once prevalent. The most notable region in North America is the midwest, though populations occur sporadically throughout the United States and Canada. These plants have escaped from cultivation more recently, and often grow larger than the ruderal plants in Europe.
''Cannabis'' users often call this feral ''Cannabis'' "ditch weed." Outside of its native range, it is regarded as an [[invasive species|invasive plant]]. Despite years of government-sponsored eradication programs, these feral plants still remain in bountiful abundance.
It has several times been proposed that this taxon be recognized as a distinct species, called ''C. ruderalis''.<ref name=”schultes1974a”>Schultes, R. E., W. M. Klein, T. Plowman, and T. E. Lockwood. 1974. ''Cannabis'': an example of taxonomic neglect. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''23''': 337–367.</ref><ref name="emboden1974a">Emboden, W.A. 1974. ''Cannabis'' – a polytypic genus. ''Economic Botany'' '''28''': 304-310.</ref><ref name=”anderson1980a”>[http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-anderson.php Anderson, L. C.] 1980. Leaf variation among ''Cannabis'' species from a controlled garden. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''28''': 61–69. Retrieved on 23 Feb 2007</ref>
=== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' ===
==== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''indica'' ====
[[Correct name (botany)|Correct name]]: ''Cannabis sativa'' L. subsp. ''indica'' (Lam.) Small & Cronq. var. ''indica'' (Lam.) Wehmer
[[Synonym (botany)|Synonym]]: ''C. indica'' Lam.
[[Image:indica leaf.jpg|thumb|right|Broad leaflets characteristic of wide-leafed varieties of ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''indica'']]
This taxon includes two types of ''Cannabis'' cultivated for drug production,<ref name=small1976a/> commonly referred to by ''Cannabis'' aficionados as "sativa" and "indica".
Narrow-leafed "sativa" drug strains and landraces are native to the Indian subcontinent, and are also cultivated in Africa, South and Central America, the Caribbean basin, and in other marijuana producing regions. These strains are usually tall, laxly branched, and relatively late-maturing.<ref name=”schultes1974a”>Schultes, R. E., W. M. Klein, T. Plowman, and T. E. Lockwood. 1974. ''Cannabis'': an example of taxonomic neglect. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''23''': 337–367.</ref> They have largely been replaced by so-called "indica/sativa" hybrids by commercial ''Cannabis'' growers because the hybrids often yield a larger crop in a shorter period of time.
Wide-leafed "indica" drug strains are traditionally cultivated in northwest [[India]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[Pakistan]] for the production of [[hashish]], and may have originated in the [[Hindu-Kush]] or [[Tian Shan]] mountain range. Due to the often harsh and variable climate of those regions, these strains and landraces are better suited for cultivation in temperate climates. Plants of this type are relatively short, conical, and densely branched, having characteristcally wide leaflets, and tend to produce a lower ratio of [[tetrahydrocannabinol|THC]] to [[cannabidiol|CBD]] than the narrow-leafed drug strains <ref name=”schultes1974a”>Schultes, R. E., W. M. Klein, T. Plowman, and T. E. Lockwood. 1974. ''Cannabis'': an example of taxonomic neglect. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''23''': 337–367.</ref><ref name=”anderson1980a”>[http://www.bio.fsu.edu/faculty-anderson.php Anderson, L. C.] 1980. Leaf variation among ''Cannabis'' species from a controlled garden. ''Harvard University Botanical Museum Leaflets'' '''28''': 61–69. Retrieved on 23 Feb 2007</ref><ref name=hillig2004a/> Although many commercially available varieties are genetically fixed to produce relatively high levels of THC and low levels of CBD (which is not psychoactive),<ref name=hillig2004a/> some users report more of a "stoned" and less of a "high" effect from these varieties compared to the narrow-leafed strains. Differences in the terpenoid content of the essential oil may account for some of these differences.<ref name="mcpartland2001a">McPartland, J. M., and E. B. Russo. 2001. [http://www.omma1998.org/McPartland-Russo-JCANT%201(3-4)-2001.pdf ''Cannabis'' and ''Cannabis'' extracts: greater than the sum of their parts?] ''Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics'' '''1'''(3/4): 103-132. Retrieved on 26 Feb 2007</ref><ref name="hillig2004b">Hillig, Karl W. 2004. [http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T4R-4CPD4SG-1&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F31%2F2004&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=9e491613fa59a0a2cb5b5a3f83cd3118 A chemotaxonomic analysis of terpenoid variation in ''Cannabis'']. ''Biochemical Systematics and Ecology'' '''32''': 875-891. Retrieved on 23 Feb 2007</ref>
[[Image:SeedAndCaliper.jpg|thumb|right|A large seed of the hemp biotype of ''C. indica'', and a small seed of the feral biotype of the same putative species.]]
Anecdotal evidence suggests that when used recreationally, highs from "sativa" strains tend to produce clearer, "cerebral" highs, whereas highs from "indica" strains produce more "druggy" body highs, with emphasis on drowsiness, slight loss of [[motor coordination]], and increase appetite ("[[Health issues and the effects of cannabis|munchies]]"). To date, no undisputable chemical or pharmacological basis for these differing effects has been discovered.
It has often been proposed that this taxon be recognized as a distinct species, ''C. indica''. Most recently, on the basis of genetic, morphological, and chemotaxonomic analyses, Hillig assigned both the narrow-leaflet and wide-leaflet drug "biotypes", as well as southern and eastern Asian hemp (fiber/seed) landraces and wild Himalayan populations, to ''C. indica''.<ref name=”hillig2005a”>Hillig, Karl W. 2005. [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/klu/gres/2005/00000052/00000002/00004452 Genetic evidence for speciation in ''Cannabis'' (Cannabaceae)]. ''Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution'' '''52'''(2): 161-180. Retrieved on 23 Feb 2007</ref><ref name="hillig2004a">Hillig, Karl W. and Paul G. Mahlberg. 2004. [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/91/6/966 A chemotaxonomic analysis of cannabinoid variation in ''Cannabis'' (Cannabaceae)]. ''American Journal of Botany'' '''91'''(6): 966-975. Retrieved on 22 Feb 2007</ref><ref name=hillig2004b/><ref name=”hillig2005b”>Hillig, Karl William. 2005. A systematic investigation of ''Cannabis''. Doctoral Dissertation. Department of Biology, Indiana University. Bloomington, Indiana. Published by [http://wwwlib.umi.com/dxweb/gateway UMI]. Retrieved on 25 Feb 2007</ref>
==== ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''kafiristanica'' ====
[[Correct name (botany)|Correct name]]: ''Cannabis sativa'' L. subsp. ''indica'' (Lam.) Small & Cronq. var. ''kafiristanica'' (Vavilov) Small & Cronq.
[[Synonym (botany)|Synonym]]: ''C. indica'' Lam. var. ''kafiristanica'' Vavilov.
This taxon includes wild or feral plants, mostly confined to the Indian subcontinent and other regions where ''Cannabis'' is grown for drug use and has escaped from cultivation. Individual plants may have low, similar, or high levels of THC relative to CBD. Plants with relatively high levels of Δ<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabidivarin (THCV) and/or cannabidivarin (CBDV) are also common in this group.<ref name=hillig2004a/> Compared with wild or feral plants of var. ''spontanea'', plants of this taxon are often taller and more branched. The achenes are usually very small. The inflorescenses of pistillate plants are often elongated, and the fruits (achenes) drop off the plants as they mature.
==Common uses==
{{main|Hemp|Cannabis (drug)}}
The tough fiber of the plant, [[cultivation|cultivated]] as [[hemp]], has numerous [[textile]] uses. Its seed, chiefly used as caged-bird feed, is a valuable source of protein. The [[flowers]] (and to a much lesser extent the leaves, stems, and seeds) contain [[psychoactive]] and physiologically active [[chemical compound]]s known as [[cannabinoids]] that are consumed for recreational, medicinal, and spiritual purposes. When so used, preparations of flowers (marijuana) and leaves and preparations derived from resinous extract ([[hashish]]) are consumed by smoking, vaporizing and oral ingestion. Historically, [[tincture]]s, [[tea]]s, and [[ointment]]s have also been common preparations.
==Plant physiology==
{{main|Cannabis}} <!--- needs resynch --->
[[Image:Cannabis sativa Koehler drawing.jpg|thumb|right|''Cannabis sativa'', scientific drawing from ''c''1900]]
''Cannabis'' [[Biological reproduction#Sexual reproduction|reproduces sexually]]. The [[flower]]s of the female plant are arranged in [[raceme]]s and can produce hundreds of seeds. Males plants shed their pollen and die several weeks prior to seed ripening on the female plants. Although genetic factors dispose a plant to become male or female, environmental factors including the [[Day|diurnal]] light cycle can alter sexual expression. Naturally occurring [[monoecious]] plants, with both male and female parts, are either [[infertility|sterile]] or [[fertile]] but artificially induced "[[hermaphrodites]]" (a commonly used misnomer) can have fully functional reproductive organs. "Feminized" seed sold by many commercial seed suppliers are derived from artificially "hermaphrodytic" females that lack the male gene, or by treating the seeds with hormones or silver thiosulfate.
A ''Cannabis'' plant in the vegetative growth phase of its life requires 18 hour light, 6 hour dark (more than 12 hours of light to stay vegetative). [[Flowering]] usually occurs when darkness exceeds 12 hours per day, and water is cut down The flowering cycle can last anywhere between five to ten weeks, depending on the strain and environmental conditions.
In soil, the optimum [[pH]] for the plant is 6.5 to 7.2. In [[hydroponics|hydroponic]] growing, the nutrient solution is best at 5.2 to 5.8, making ''Cannabis'' well-suited to hydroponics because this pH range is hostile to most bacteria and fungi.
*Cultivars primarily cultivated for their fiber, characterized by long [[Plant stem|stems]] and little branching.
*Cultivars grown for [[seed]] from which [[hemp oil]] is extracted.
*Cultivars grown for [[medicine|medicinal]] or [[recreational drug use|recreational]] purposes. A nominal if not legal distinction is often made between industrial hemp, with concentrations of psychoactive compounds far too low to be useful for that purpose, and marijuana.
==Pharmacology==
{{main|Cannabis (drug)}} <!---- summary section should be resynched to main ------->
Although the main psychoactive [[chemical compound]] in ''Cannabis'' is Δ<sup>9</sup>-[[tetrahydrocannabinol]] (THC), the plant is known to contain about sixty [[cannabinoid]]s; however, most of these "minor" cannabinoids are only produced in trace amounts. Besides THC, another cannabinoid produced in high concentrations by some plants is [[cannabidiol]] (CBD), which is not psychoactive but has recently been shown to block the effect of THC in the nervous system.<ref name=west1998>West, D. P, Ph.D. 1998. [http://www.gametec.com/hemp/hempandmj.html Hemp and Marijuana: Myths & Realities]. North American Industrial Hemp Council. Retrieved on 23 Apr 2007</ref> Differences in the chemical composition of ''Cannabis'' varieties may produce different effects in humans. Synthetic THC, called dronabinol, does not contain CBD, CBN, or other cannabinoids, which is one reason why its [[Pharmacology|pharmacological]] effects may differ significantly from those of natural ''Cannabis'' preparations.
Most commonly available ''Cannabis'' contains below 8% THC.<ref name=baker1982a>Baker, P. B., T. A. Gough, S. I. M. Johncock, B. J. Taylor, and L. T. Wyles. 1982. [http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/bulletin/bulletin_1982-01-01_3_page009.html Variation in the THC content in illicitly imported ''Cannabis'' products - Part II]. United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes. Retrieved on 25 Feb 2007</ref> Selective breeding and modern cultivation techniques like [[hydroponics]] have produced varieties with more than 15% THC {{Fact|date=February 2007}}. With varieties containing below 1% THC, such as those specifically cultivated for use as hemp, smoking may produce lightheadedness or mild headache but not intoxication. The THC content is also affected by the sex of the plant, with female plants generating substantially more resin than their male counterparts. Seedless floral clusters derived from unpollinated female plants usually have a higher THC content than seeded inflorescences, and are commonly known as ''sinsemilla'' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: "without seed").
==Chemical constituents==
*Δ<sup>9</sup>-[[Tetrahydrocannabinol]]
*α-[[Pinene]]<ref name="essential">[http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/82002171/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0 Johannes Novak, Karin Zitterl-Eglseer, Stanley G. Deans, Chlodwig M. Franz. Essential oils of different cultivars of Cannabis sativa L. and their antimicrobial activity]</ref>
*[[Myrcene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*Trans-β-[[ocimene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*α-[[Terpinolene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*Trans-[[caryophyllene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*α-[[Humulene]]<ref name="essential">.</ref>
*[[Caryophyllene]]-oxide,<ref name="essential">.</ref> with which some hashish detection dogs are trained<ref>[http://www.bojensen.net/EssentialOilsEng/EssentialOils13A/EssentialOils13A.htm Essential Oils]</ref>
==Gallery of images==
<gallery>
Image:Cannabis_sativa1.JPG|Cannabis plants
Image:Cannabis_sativa2.JPG|Cannabis plants
Image:Cannabis_sativa3.JPG|Cannabis plants
Image:Cannabis_sativa4.JPG|Cannabis plants
</gallery>
==References==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>
==External links ==
{{commons|Cannabis sativa}}
{{Wikispecies|Cannabis sativa}}
*[http://www.nap.edu/html/marimed/ Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base]
*[http://www.geopium.org/Photos/Maroc_Rif2005/Maroc_Rif2005.htm Several dozen photos of Moroccan cannabis cultivation]
*[http://seeds.dampkring.nl/?bwr_id=6289&alias=cannabis_marijuana_seeds Cannabis Males & females] (Kiwiseeds commerce site)
*[http://cannabis.seeds.dampkring.nl/?bwr_id=6818&alias=cannabis_marijuana_seeds Cloning cannabis plants] (Kiwiseeds commerce site)
*[http://cannabis.seeds.dampkring.nl/?bwr_id=6701&alias=cannabis_marijuana_seeds Cannabis seeds germination] (Kiwiseeds commerce site)
*[http://seeds.dampkring.nl/?bwr_id=6149&alias=cannabis_marijuana_seeds Marijuana photo gallery] (Kiwiseeds commerce site)
*[http://www.77seeds.com/sativa.html Cannabis sativa description and origins] (Commerce site)
*[http://www.canaseed.com/ Cannabis seed comparison] (Commerce site)
[[Category:Cannabis]]
[[Category:Cannabis strains]]
[[Category:Fiber plants]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants of Nepal]]