Front cover image for Cannabis : evolution and ethnobotany

Cannabis : evolution and ethnobotany

Robert Connell Clarke (Author), Mark David Merlin (Author)
"'Cannabis: evolution and ethnobotany' is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of the natural origins and early evolution of this famous plant, highlighting its historic role in the development of human societies. Cannabis has long been prized for the strong and durable fiber in its stalks, its edible and oil-rich seeds, and the psychoactive and medicinal compounds produced by its female flowers. The culturally valuable and often irreplaceable goods derived from cannabis deeply influenced the commercial, medical, ritual, and religious practices of cultures throughout the ages, and human desire for these commodities directed the evolution of the plant toward its contemporary varieties. As interest in cannabis grows and public debate over its many uses rises, this book will help us understand why humanity continues to rely on this plant and adapts it to suit our needs."--Ebook's opening screen (EBL platform, viewed October 9, 2013)
eBook, English, ©2013
University of California Press, Berkeley, ©2013
dissertations
1 online resource (xv, 434 pages) : illustrations (chiefly color), maps (some color)
9780520954571, 9781299713253, 0520954572, 1299713254
851695498
Print version:
Introduction to the multipurpose plant Cannabis
Natural origins and early evolution of Cannabis
Ethnobotanical origins, early cultivation, and evolution through human selection
The cultural diffusion of Cannabis
History of Cannabis use for fiber
Food, feed, and oil uses of hemp
Historical aspects of psychoactive Cannabis use for ritual and recreation
Ethnobotanical history and contemporary context of medicinal Cannabis
Nonpsychoactive ritual uses of Cannabis
Recent history of Cannabis breeding
Classical and molecular taxonomy of Cannabis
Hypotheses concerning the early evolution of Cannabis
Cannabis and Homo sapiens