Creation of the name "Hemp" - a short guide for non-botanists
- What is the difference between Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica? To date, the existence of both species has been questioned.
The genus Cannabis (related to Cannabaceae) probably originates from the humid Asian region. The poor coexistence between humanity and cannabis has led to early plant domestication, kIt soon showed its vast spectrum of possible uses, such as as a source of textile fibers or as narcotic and psychoactive compounds.
History of Cannabis
Currently, species belonging to the genus Cannabis are represented by cultivated varieties, often with unstable taxonomic foundations. Cannabis nomenclature has been the subject of many nomenclatural drugs. Linnaeus in Species Plantarum(1753) described a single type of hemp -Cannabis sativa,while Lamarck (1785) introduced two types of cannabis :Cannabis sativa,species largely cultivated in the western continent and Cannabis indica, wild species grows in India and neighboring countries. Embarrassment about the existence of a speciesCannabis indicaconsidered different from Cannabis sativacontinue to the present.
Nomenclature
Given that the economic interest in cultivated varieties prevailsof cannabis, nomenclature treatment is particularly important. In this context, we suggest avoiding the distinction between sativa and indica, suggesting a bimodal approach: if the cultivar is properly established.
It might be appropriate to use a nomenclature system based on the International Crop Nomenclature Code (ICNCP): it is not necessary to use species epithets, sativa or indica, and combinations of genus and cultivar name epithelium in any language and enclosed by single quotation marks define an exclusive name for each cannabis cultivar. In contrast, cannabis varieties, which are named by popular names and used by patients or recreational users who do not have sufficient description according to ICNCP requirements, should be labeled as a cannabis strain, followed by their popular name without quotes, bearing in mind that their names are not taxonomic.