CHAPTER VIII 



MORACEAE 



CANNABIS SATIVA 



THE true hemp plant, Cannabis sativa L., is cultivated chiefly 

 for its fiber; but the seed is used for medicinal purposes, and 

 certain varieties are grown occasionally as ornamentals. The term 

 hemp has been used in connection with many plants producing bast 

 fibers that are somewhat alike in appearance and quality, and 

 Dodge (13) has listed 31 plants to which this common name is 

 applied. Among these are Manila hemp, derived from the leaf 

 stalks of Musa textilis Nee; Sisal hemp, secured from the leaves 

 of species of Agave; Mauritius hemp, obtained from the green 

 aloe, Furcraea gigantea (D. Dietr.) Vent.; and Sunn hemp, pro- 

 cured from Crotalaria juncea L. 



The genus Cannabis is generally regarded as monotypic; but 

 since the plant exhibits several different growth forms, it has been 

 described under several names, and numerous varieties are recog- 

 nized. It now is widely distributed, but de Candolle (8) suggested 

 that its original habitat might have been in some region east of 

 the Caucasus. Dewey (ii) states that it was one of the earliest 

 plants cultivated for fiber, and that its original home was probably 

 somewhere in central Asia. 



Cultivation of hemp has resulted in the development of at least 

 three distinct types, each of which is further subdivided into varie- 

 ties. One is grown in Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas 

 specifically for the fiber; a second type is cultivated for the fruit, 

 which is utilized as a source of oil and as a food; while the third, 

 Cannabis sativa, var. Indica (sometimes regarded as a separate 

 species. Cannabis Indica), is grown in India, Arabia, and Northern 

 Africa for its medicinal and narcotic products. These are derived 

 from the dried inflorescences and upper leaves of the carpellate 

 plant, and produce alkaloids of a narcotic character which are 

 variously known as "hashish," "ganja," and "bhang" in the 



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