Cannabis indica

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Cannabis indica Lam. (sometimes classified Cannabis sativa spp. indica) is a putative species of Cannabis, although not all botanists agree that it should be treated as separate from Cannabis sativa L. (). Schultes described C. indica as relatively short, conical, and densely branched, whereas C. sativa was described as tall and laxly branched (). According to Anderson, C. indica has short, broad leaflets whereas those of C. sativa are relatively long and narrow (). Cannabis indica plants conforming to Schultes's and Anderson's descriptions may have originated from the Hindu-Kush mountain range. Due to the often harsh and variable climate of those parts, C. indica is well-suited for cultivation in temperate climates.

Related Topics:
Cannabis sativa - Hindu-Kush

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Wide-leafed Cannabis indica plants in Afghanistan and Pakistan are traditionally cultivated for the production of hashish. Pharmacologically, the wide-leafed "indica" landraces tend to have a higher cannabidiol (CBD) content than "sativa" drug strains (). Although most commercially available "indica" strains have been selected for low levels of CBD (which is not psychoactive), some users report a less "cerebral" and more "stoning" effect from "indica" than from "sativa". Differences in the terpenoid content of the essential oil may account for some of these differences in effect(). Common "indica" strains for recreational use are 'White Widow' and 'Northern Lights'.

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A recent genetic analysis included both the narrow-leaflet and wide-leaflet drug "biotypes" under C. indica, as well as southern and eastern Asian hemp (fiber/seed) landraces and wild Himalayan populations ().

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