Cannabis Ruderalis

''Cannabis ruderalis'' is a variety, subspecies, or species of ''Cannabis'' native to Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. It contains a relatively low quantity of psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and does not require photoperiod to blossom (unlike ''C. indica'' and ''C. sativa''). Some scholars accept ''C. ruderalis'' as its own species due to its unique traits and phenotypes which distinguish it from '' C. indica'' and '' C. sativa''; others debate whether ''ruderalis'' is a subspecies under ''C. sativa''.

Description

This species is smaller than other species of the genus, rarely growing over in height. The plants have "thin, slightly fibrous stems" with little branching. The foliage is typically open with large leaves. ''C. ruderalis'' reaches maturity much quicker than other species of ''Cannabis,'' typically 5–7 weeks after being planted from seed.

Unlike other species of the genus, ''C. ruderalis'' enters the flowering stage based on the plant's maturity rather than its light cycle. With ''C. sativa'' and ''C. indica'' varieties, the plant stays in the vegetative state indefinitely as long as a long daylight cycle is maintained. ''Cannabis'' geneticists today refer to this feature as " autoflowering''"'' when ''C. ruderalis'' is cross-bred.

Regarding its cannabinoid profile, it usually contains less tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in its resin compared to other ''Cannabis'' species but is often high in cannabidiol (CBD).

Taxonomy

Species description

There is no consensus in the botany community that ''C. ruderalis'' is one separate species, rather than a subspecies from ''C. sativa''. It was first described in 1924 by D. E. Janischewsky, noting the visible differences in the fruits' seed (an achene), shape and size from previously classified ''Cannabis sativa''.

Genomic studies

Recently, genomic DNA studies utilizing molecular markers and different varieties of plants from diverse geographical origins have been employed to enrich the ''Cannabis'' taxonomy discussion. In 2005, Hillig reinforced the polytypic classification system based on allozyme variation at 17 genomic ''loci''. Hillig's approach, proposed a more detailed taxonomy encompassing three species with seven subspecies or varieties:

* ''C.'' ''sativa''
** ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''sativa''
** ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''sativa'' var. ''spontanea''
** ''C. sativa'' subsp. ''indica'' var. ''kafiristanica''
* ''C. indica''
** ''C. indica''
** ''C. indica'' sensu
* ''C. chinensis''
* ''C. ruderalis.''
Clarke and Merlin carried out more studies in 2013 to analyze the genus mixing molecular markers, chemotypes and morphological characteristics. They proposed a refinement in Hillig's hypothesis and suggested that ''C. ruderalis'' could be the wild ancestor of ''C. sativa'' and ''C. indica''. However, these affirmations were based on a limited sample size.

Etymology

The term ''ruderalis'' is derived from the Latin ''rūdera'', which is the plural form of ''rūdus'', meaning "rubble", "lump", or "rough piece of bronze". In botanical Latin, ''ruderalis'' means "weedy" or "growing among waste". A ruderal species refers to any plant that is the first to colonize land after a disturbance removing competition.

Distribution and habitat

''C. ruderalis'' was first scientifically described in 1924 (from plants collected in southern Siberia), although it grows wild in other areas of Russia. The Russian botanist, Janischewski, was studying wild ''Cannabis'' in the Volga River system and realized he had come upon a third species. ''C. ruderalis'' is a hardier variety grown in the northern Himalayas and southern states of the former Soviet Union, characterized by a more sparse, "weedy" growth.''''

Similar ''C. 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 midwestern United States, though populations occur sporadically throughout the United States and Canada. Large wild ''C. ruderalis'' populations are found in central and eastern Europe, most of them in Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia and adjacent countries. Without human selection, these plants have lost many of the traits they were originally selected for, and have acclimated to their environment.

Cultivation

Seeds of ''C. ruderalis'' were brought to Amsterdam in the early 1980s in order to enhance the breeding program of seed banks.

''C. ruderalis'' has lower THC content than either ''C. sativa'' or ''C. indica'', so it is rarely grown for recreational use. Also, the shorter stature of ''C. ruderalis'' limits its application for hemp production. ''C. ruderalis'' strains are high in the cannabіnoid cannabidiol (CBD), so they are grown by some medical marijuana users.

Because ''C. ruderalis'' transitions from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage with age, as opposed to the light cycle required with photoperiod strains, it is bred with other household ''sativa'' and ''indica'' strains of ''cannabis'' to create "auto-flowering cannabis strains". This trait offers breeders some agricultural possibilities and advantages over the photoperiodic flowering varieties, as well as resistance aspects to insect and disease pressures.

''C. indica'' strains are frequently cross-bred with ''C. ruderalis'' to produce autoflowering plants with high THC content, improved hardiness and reduced height. ''Cannabis x intersita'' Sojak, a strain identified in 1960, is a cross between ''C. sativa'' and ''C. ruderalis''. Attempts to produce a ''Cannabis'' strain with a shorter growing season are another application of cultivating ''C. ruderalis''. ''C. ruderalis'' when crossed with ''sativa'' and ''indica'' strains will carry the recessive autoflowering trait. Further crosses will stabilise this trait and give a plant which flowers automatically and can be fully mature in as little as 10 weeks.

Cultivators also favor ''ruderalis'' plants due to their reduced production time, typically finishing in 3–4 months rather than 6–8 months . The auto-flowering trait is extremely beneficial because it allows for multiple harvests in one outdoor growing season without the use of light deprivation techniques necessary for multiple harvests of photoperiod-dependent strains.

Uses

''C. ruderalis'' is traditionally used in Russian and Mongolian folk medicine, especially for uses in treating depression. Because ''C. ruderalis'' is among the lowest THC producing biotypes of ''Cannabis'', ''C. ruderalis'' is rarely used for recreational purposes.

In modern use, ''C. ruderalis'' has been crossed with Bedrocan strains to produce the strain Bediol for patients with medical prescriptions. The typically higher concentration of CBD may make ''ruderalis'' plants viable for the treatment of anxiety or epilepsy.

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{{Taxonbar, from=Q3655396

Cannabis strains
Flora of Nepal
Ruderal species