Cannabaceae

Description of Cannabaceae

• Family members include trees, erect herbs, or twining herbs.
• Leaves are often palmately lobed or compound with stipules.
• Cystoliths are always present, and some have laticifers.
• Flowers are actinomorphic and wind-pollinated.
• Fruit can be an achene or a drupe.

Taxonomy of Cannabaceae

• Classification systems prior to the 1990s recognized the order Urticales.
• Molecular data from the 1990s placed Cannabaceae in an expanded Rosales.
• Genera in Cannabaceae include Aphananthe, Cannabis, Celtis, Chaetachme, Gironniera, Humulus, Lozanella, Parasponia, Pteroceltis, and Trema.
• Cannabaceae likely originated in East Asia during the Late Cretaceous.
• Carbon dating suggests ritual/medicinal use of these plants in China as early as 494 B.C.

Uses of Cannabaceae Plants

• Humulus lupulus is used as a bittering agent in beer and for its antimicrobial properties.
• Some Cannabis plants are cultivated for fiber, oil, seeds, or medicinal/recreational purposes.
• Celtis trees are grown for landscaping, and Pteroceltis bark is used for Chinese rice paper.
• Selective breeding in Cannabis produces desired levels of THC, cannabinoids, and terpenes.
• Cannabaceae plants have been used for various purposes for centuries.

References on Cannabaceae

• Rosales, retrieved from www.mobot.org.
• Stevens’ work on Cannabaceae in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.
• Studies on the phylogeny and evolution of Cannabaceae.
• Historical biogeography of the Cannabaceae family.
• Insights into Cannabis sativa use from ancient tombs in China.

External Links for Further Exploration

• Wikimedia Commons contains media related to Cannabaceae.

Cannabaceae Data Sources