The time is long overdue when a full study of Canna- 
bis taxonomy must be initiated. Cannabis has not re- 
ceived the taxonomic attention commensurate with its 
position as an ancient domesticate; as an important crop 
throughout most of man’s history; as a genus with many 
interesting and varied uses; as the source of a narcotic, 
the use or abuse of which perplexes modern society: and 
as a plant which, through modern phytochemical inves- 
tigations, holds promise for even greater significance to 
the material and cultural evolution of humankind. 
VII 
The genus Cannabis was described in 1787 by Lin- 
naeus: 
Cannabis Linnacus Gen. Pl. (id. 1) (1787). 
Since the beginning of modern botanical nomenclature 
in 1753, the following specific epithets have been pro- 
posed in Cannabis. 
Cannabis americana Houghton et Hamilton in Am. 
Journ. Pharm. 80 (1908) 17, nomen nudum. 
Cannabis erratica Sievers ex Pallas Neue Nord. Beytr. 
7 (1796) 174, nomen nudum. 
Cannabis foetens Gilibert Exercit. Phytol. 2 (1792) 
450, nomen illegitimum. 
Cannabis generalis fH. LL. Krause in Sturm Fl. 
Deutschland, Ed. 2, 4 (1905) 199. 
Cannabis gigantea Crévost in Bull. Econ. Indochine, 
n.s., 20 (1917) 6138. 
Cannabis indica Lamarck Encycl. 1 (1783) 695. 
x Cannabis intersita Sojak in Novit. Bot. Del Sem. 
Hort. Bot. Univ. Carol Praga (1960) 20. 
Cannabis Lupulus Secopoli Pl. Carniol., Kd. 2, 2 
(1772) 263. 
Cannabis macrosperma Stokes Bot. Mat. Med. 4 (1812) 
399. 
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