16, 26, 27), that chemical differences in Cannabis appear 
to be based more ona genetic basis than on environmental 
or edaphic factors. If this be so, then it may add. still 
another argument for specific differentiation in the genus. 
Vavilov and Bukinich, for example, after long field 
studies in Afghanistan, maintained that Cannabis com- 
prised several species (80). Inthe Mora of the USUS.R., 
Komaroy accepted the polyty pic nature of the genus(10). 
Zhukovsky, in his masterly Cultivated Plants and their 
Wild Relatives, accepts three species of Cannabis and indi- 
‘ates their morphological differences (81). In 1960, Sojak 
asserted that Cannabis ruderalis is spreading westward 
into Hurope proper and described X& C.intersita—a hy brid 
between C.ruderals and C. sattiva—on the basis of a Wal- 
lich collection in 1831 (23). The ora Huropaea accepts 
a polytypic composition of Cannabis, listing C. sativa and 
C. ruderalis—and this in a modern synthetic work which 
states that ‘tall available evidence, morphological, geo- 
graphical, ecological and cytological has been taken into 
consideration in delimiting species. .... [but which] are 
in all cases definable in morphological terms”* (28). 
W hile we recognize our present incomplete knowledge 
of characters, we offer the following key to distinguish 
the several species discussed above. 
1) Plants usually tall (up to five to 18 feet), laxly branched 
Akenes smooth, usually lacking marbled pattern on outer coat, 
firmly attached to stalk and without definite articulation 
C. sativa 
1A) Plants usually small (four feet or less), not laxly branched 
Akenes usually strongly marbled on outer coat, with a definite 
abscission layer, dropping off at maturity 
2) Plants very densely branched, more or less conical, usually 
four feet tall or less. Abscission layer a simple articulation at 
base of akene C, indica 
2A) Plants not branched or very sparsely so, usually one to two 
feet at maturity. Abscission layer forms a fleshy caruncle-like 
growth at base of akene C. ruderalis 
| 860 | 
