Cannabis as medicine

Botany

Cannabis is a genus of plants in the Cannabaceae family, and although the number of cannabis species within the genus is debatable, there are three basic species:

Request therapy →The three species

Botanik & Morphologie

A plant with an unmistakable trademark

Cannabis sativa originates from the equatorial zones around the world and grows up to 4-6 meters high in the heat and light of the tropics. Shorter, large-leafed Cannabis indica varieties have adapted to grow at higher altitudes. Ruderalis is short, fibrous and has a remarkable range of uses from ropes to fabrics to nutritional supplements.

The cannabis leaf is a trademark with its serrated leaves and palm-like pattern.

Cannabis is hermaphroditic, meaning that there are both male and female plants. However, purely female or purely male plants are not uncommon. Until flowering, the sexes differ in size and shape. The female plant is shorter and has thicker foliage, the male is larger and sparsely leafed.

The flowers of cannabis develop as clusters or buds. The flowers of the male plant are loose and hang down from the plant. In the female plant, the flowers are densely covered with leaflets and stand upright in thick clusters of leaves arranged along the flowering stem.

Cannabis produces psychotropic and therapeutic compounds in the plant hairs (trichomes) found on the flowers of the female plant.

Male plants form solely filaments and produce pollen. Female plants are fertile and produce seeds that are fertilized by the wind-borne pollen.

The three basic species

Sativa, Indica and Ruderalis at a glance

Cannabis sativa

Originates from the equatorial zones around the world and grows up to 4-6 meters high in the heat and light of the tropics.

Cannabis indica

Shorter, large-leafed varieties that have adapted to grow at higher altitudes.

Cannabis ruderalis

Short, fibrous and with a remarkable range of uses from ropes to fabrics to nutritional supplements.

The growth cycle

From germination to flowering

In the natural growth cycle, the seeds germinate in the spring in the course of 3-7 days. A skinny stem topped with "seed leaves" develops and grows to about 10 cm long.

During the growing season, the lengthening days of summer stimulate the plant to sprout leaves and sprouts. As the season progresses, the light signals of the shorter days and longer light stimulate the plant to begin the cycle again.

Klassifizierung & Wirkstoffe

Why the classification of varieties matters

One species, three subspecies

Some botanists include C. ruderalis with C. sativa. In addition, all three have been classified as subspecies of a single species, C. sativa.

Key to understanding

This classification helps to understand the differences within cannabis varieties. In addition, it helps in understanding how and why their medicinal properties vary.

Targeted THC breeding

Cannabis varieties have been bred to produce varying amounts of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient. Strength of THC is increased by drying the flowers.

References

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