124 URTICACE&. [ CANNABIS. 



C. sativa, Linn. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. Hi, 772 ; Royle 111 333 ; 

 Madden in Journ. As. Soc., Beng. xvii (1848), pt. 1, 399 ; A. DO. 

 VOrig. PI. Cult. 117 ; Duthie and Fuller in Field and Gard. Crops 

 i } 80, t.t. 19 and 20 ; Watt E. D. ; Comm. Prod. Ind. 249 ; F. B. 1. V, 

 487 ; Kanjilal For. Fl. (ed. 2) 385 ; Collett Fl. Siml. 456 ; Prain 

 Beng. PL 960 ; in Sc. Memb. Med. Depmt. (New ser. 1904) No. 12 ; 

 Cooke Fl. Bomb, ii, 659. Vern. Bhang, siddhi, ganja, charas. 

 (Hemp). 



Abundant throughout the greater part of India in waste ground and 

 by roadsides ; also widely distributed up to considerable elevations 

 on the Himalaya, especially in the vicinity of habitations and on the 

 sites of much frequented camping grounds along the principal trade- 

 routes leading to C. Asia. For this reason it is difficult to ascertain 

 to what extent, if at all, this plant may be regarded as truly indi- 

 genous in British India. The following are the more important 

 products derived from this plant : charas, bhang, ganja, also the 

 fibre and the seeds. Charas is the narcotic resinous substance which 

 appears on the stems and inflorescence, and is collected chiefly from 

 cultivated female plants. This substance is imported into India 

 chiefly from C. Asia where the drier climate is more suitable for its 

 cultivation. Bhang consists of the dried leaves and flowers and is 

 largely prepared in India, as also is ganja, the name given to the dried 

 flowering tops of the cultivated female plant. Both bhang and 

 ganja are often mixed with tobacco and smoked. The cultivation 

 of the plant for its fibre (hemp) is mainly restricted to some of the 

 warm valleys of the W. Himalaya between Nepal and Kashmir. 

 The male plant yields the best fibre and is always cultivated, as the 

 fibre yielded directly by the wild-growing plant is worthless. Hemp 

 seeds are well known as a favourite food of cage-birds, and in India 

 they are often roasted and eaten by the Himalayan villagers. For 

 further information regarding this plant see Watt in Commercial 

 Products of India, p. 249. 



5. GIRABDINIA, Gaud. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. V, 550. 



Herbs or undershrubs with stout stinging hairs. Leaves alter- 

 nate, 3-nerved, entire or lobed, serrate ; stipules connate, foliaceous. 

 Flowers in clusters, monoecious or sometimes dioscious ; clusters 

 in simple or panicled spikes or heads, armed with stinging hairs. 

 Perianth simple. MALE flowers. Sepals 4-5, valvate. Stamens 

 4-5, inflexed in bud, filaments free. Pistillode globose or cupular. 



