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CANNABACEAE
Cannabaceae is a small family of flowering plants which includes about 170 species grouped in about 11 genera, including Cannabis (also called hemp, marijuana, intsangu, dagga), Humulus (hops) and Celtis (hackberries). Celtis is by far the largest genus, containing about 100 species. Other than a shared evolutionary origin, members of the family have few common characteristics, and can be trees (e.g. Celtis), erect herbs (e.g. Cannabis), or twining herbs (e.g. Humulus). Leaves are often more or less palmately lobed. The species was first classified by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.
Cannabaceae are often dioecious (distinct male and female plants). The flowers are actinomorphic (radially symmetrical) and not showy, as these plants are pollinated by the wind. As an adaptation to this kind of pollination, the calyx is short and there is no corolla. Flowers are grouped to form cymes.
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In the dioecious plants the masculine inflorescences are long and look like panicles, while the feminine are shorter and bear less flowers. The pistil is made of two connate carpels; the usually superior ovary is unilocular; there is no fixed number of stamens. The fruit can be an achene or a drupe.
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SATIVUM
Sativa, Sativus, and Sativum are Latin botanical adjectives meaning cultivated, used to designate certain seed-grown domestic crops.
Sativa (ending in -a) is the feminine form of the adjective, but masculine (-us) and neuter (-um) endings are also used to agree with the gender of the nouns they modify.
Examples of crops incorporating this word and its variations into their Latin name include:
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Daucus carota subsp. sativus, the carrot.
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Avena sativa, the common oat.
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Oryza sativa, rice.
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Medicago sativa, alfalfa.
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Castanea sativa, sweet chestnut.
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Cannabis sativa, one of two forms of widely consumed Cannabis.
Reference
Greg Green, The Cannabis Breeder's Bible, Green Candy Press, 2005, pp. 15-16 ISBN 9781931160278
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