Cannabis ruderalis
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| Cannabis ruderalis | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Cannabaceae |
| Genus: | Cannabis |
| Species: | C. ruderalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Cannabis ruderalis Janisch. |
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Cannabis ruderalis is a putative species of Cannabis originating in central Asia. It flowers earlier than C. indica or C. sativa, does not grow as tall, and can withstand much harsher climates than either of them. Cannabis ruderalis will produce flowers based on its age, rather than changes in light cycle like sativa and indica varieties.[1] This kind of flowering is also known as auto-flowering.[2]
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[edit] Etymology
The term 'Ruderalis' is derived from the latin 'rudera,' which is the plural form of rudus, an old latin word meaning rubble[3], lump, or rough piece of bronze[4]. A Ruderal species refers to any plant that is the first to colonize land after a disturbance removing competition.
[edit] Features
Sativa, Indica and Ruderalis are all species of the genus cannabis. They can all inter-breed freely, and many 'pedigree' cultivars are indica/sativa hybrids. Authorities disagree about the number of species of plant which constitute the genus Cannabis. Although many authorities continue to class all varieties of the plant, including Hemp and Marijuana, as Cannabis sativa, it is widely accepted that there are three separate species or sub-species. C. sativa, being most widely cultivated in the Western World, was originally grown on an industrial scale for fiber, oil, and animal feedstuffs, is characterized by tall growth with few, widely-spaced, branches; Cannabis indica, originating in south Asia, and also known historically as Indian Hemp, with shorter bushy plants giving a much greater yield per unit height; Cannabis ruderalis is a hardier variety grown in the northern Himalayas and southern states of the former Soviet Union, having a more sparse "weedy" growth, and is rarely cultivated for the drug content.
Similar Ruderalis populations can be found in most of the areas where hemp cultivation was once prevalent. The most notable region in North America is the midwest, though populations occur sporadically throughout the United States and Canada. Big wild ruderalis plantations also reigning in the center and eastern Europe, most of them in Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia and around of these countries. Without human selection, these plants have lost many of the traits they were originally selected for, and have acclimatized to their environment.
Despite years of US government sponsored eradication programs, these wild plants still remain in bountiful abundance.[citation needed]
[edit] Breeding Potential
Cannabis ruderalis has a lower THC content than either C. sativa or C. indica; thus, it has little recreational use. However, C. indica strains are frequently cross-bred with C. ruderalis to produce plants combining a higher THC content with the hardiness and reduced height of ruderalis.[5] These hybrids are known as Autoflowering strains. DJ Short, creator of the Blueberry strain of cannabis, believes that the "ruderalis" used in Autoflowering cannabis does not originate from Asia or Russia but from Midwest U.S. wild hemp patches.[6]
Though low in THC and other cannabinoids, ruderalis's early and short flowering period appeal to breeders, and it is reputed to have a greater resistance to insect and disease pressures. The shorter stature of ruderalis limits its application for hemp varieties.
New breeders have undertaken hybrid projects to breed a higher in THC ruderalis/autoflowering plant.
[edit] See Also
[edit] References
- ^ Rosenthal, Ed. "Flowering Ruderalis". Cannabis Culture Magazine. http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/articles/2847.html. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
- ^ Greg Green. 2005. The Cannabis Breeder’s Bible. Green Candy Press 14
- ^ "Definition for ruderal". http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ruderal.
- ^ "Latin etymology of ruderalis". http://www.myetymology.com/latin/ruderalis.html.
- ^ DMT. "The Return of Ruderalis". Cannabis Culture Magazine. http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/3033.html. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
- ^ DJ Short. "Breeding Tips". Cannabis Culture Magazine. http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/2600.html. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
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