BOTANICAL MUSEUM LEAFLETS 
HARVARD UNIVERSITY 
Vo. 23, iy, 9 
TYPIFICATION OF CANNABIS SATIVA L. 
BY 
WiuuiaMm T. Stearn’ 
The possibility that the genus Cannabis (Cannabaceae) 
comprises more than one species, as believed by Zhukov- 
sky (1962) and other Russian botanists and as noted by 
Tutin et al. in Flora Europaea 1: 67 (1964), or consists 
of one variable species divisible on fruit characters into 
several subspecies with differing chemical properties, has 
made it essential to examine the typification of the name 
Cannabis sativa so as to remove in advance any nomencla- 
tural uncertainty which may otherwise come about if, for 
taxonomic reasons, the Linnaean epithet sativa has to be 
restricted to one member of the group. 
The name Cannabis sativa L., having been published 
by Carl Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum 2: 1027 (1758), 
the internationally accepted starting point for modern 
botanical nomenclature, is the first legitimate scientific 
name for the hemp which was grown in Europe in the 
18th Century. Here it had been extensively cultivated 
for many centuries, as is evident from both historical and 
palynological evidence (summarized by H. Godwin in 
1967), being grown primarily for its tough fibres pro- 
viding cordage and clothing but also for its oily seeds; 
fortunately, during the period of its maximum use in 
Kurope, the narcotic properties of its resin were un- 
known there. 
' British Museum (Natural History), London. 
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