Anatomy of marijuana: basic parts of a plant

Marijuana is a plant related to humans since ancient times, used since the Neolithic era as a source of fibre, food, oil and medicinal products, and for the practice of sacred rituals. If you going to buy Marijuana, Weed makes sure to get from a legit brand like Weedsly . Since then, it has accompanied him at different times in history. Therefore, an attempt has been made to know well its nature, its characteristics and their properties.

For any cannabis fan, it is also important to know these aspects, especially what are the different parts of which it is composed and the functions that each one of them fulfils.

The taxonomy of cannabis

Cannabis is a genus of dicotyledonous angiosperm plants belonging to the 'Cannabaceae' family, of which hops are also a part. A recent chemotaxonomic study suggests that the parent strain of cannabis comes from a region of central Asia that stretches from the Himalayas to northwestern China. One of its characteristics is the ease it has to 'escape' from the delimited cultivation areas, to return to its wild nature. Therefore, it is considered as a semi-domesticated plant.

Cannabis is from a botanical point of view a dioecious species, that is, it is composed of males and females, although it is sometimes they can find hermaphroditic plants with male and female sexual organs, so this type of plants self-pollinate and produce flowers with seeds, in addition to transferring hermaphroditism in their genes, very annoying qualities for any grower. It has an annual life cycle, with the possibility of greater longevity in the subtropics, and in artificially controlled environments. Today, the Cannabis genre has spread practically all over the world.

Its taxonomic classification has always posed some problems, although the first botanical classifications date back to the 18th century. The current categorization, elaborated by Small and Cronquist, affirms that all the varieties come from the original species, the 'Cannabis sativa'. Consequently, 'Cannabis indica' has been redefined as a subspecies derived from the previous one.

Simplifying, it can be pointed out that 'Cannabis sativa' is more widespread in Europe and North America, linked to the production of fabrics, ropes, paper, oil and seeds. In contrast, 'Cannabis indica' tends to grow spontaneously in vast areas of the southern hemisphere, it is used mainly for medicinal purposes and is less suitable for obtaining fibres and seeds.

Parts of marijuana plants

Although there are many varieties of cannabis, all plants have the same anatomy. Knowledge of this is very important when growing successfully and understanding the behaviour of the plant.

Seeds

The marijuana seeds are not, in a strict sense, a part of the plant, although their importance is fundamental. Without them, cannabis would not exist. They are brown in colour and appear on the flowers of pollinated female plants. The process begins with the breaking of the seed due to the increase in the size of the embryo, which breaks to separate the two lobes that form its cover. In this way, it leaves a free path for a weak primal stem that, once in the substrate, submerges to form a tiny root that gradually strengthens.

Estate

The roots develop under the surface of the growing medium, be it soil or any other type of substrate. Sun functions are varied, from providing firmness to absorbing the nutrients necessary for the survival and development of the plant. The root zone is made up of a primary root, from which many other secondary roots develop until they become a fibrous mass. The roots are part of the vascular system of the cannabis plant. Internally, the xylem (the plant tissue that drives the sap) is responsible for pumping water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant.

Cotyledons

The embryonic leaves are called cotyledons. Cotyledons are formed during embryogenesis, along with meristems (the plant cells responsible for growth) of the stem and root. They grow thanks to the energy reserves stored in the seed, so they are the first set of leaves to appear after the germination. The green appearance of the cotyledons indicates the presence of chlorophyll, allowing these small leaves to carry out photosynthesis in the early stages of growth. Its life is very short, since, as soon as the seedling obtains its first true serrated leaves, they dry out.

Mainstem

It rises from the roots, from which it arises. One of its functions is to support the vertical growth of the plant. In addition, it is the main and largest vascular pathway through which water and minerals are transported from the roots to the rest of the areas. Under normal conditions, a secondary development arises from the main stem, in what are called nodes.

Knots

A node is an intersection between the branches and the main stem or between a branch and new secondary shoots. The 'Cannabis indica' variety generates more knots, which is one of the reasons for its lower vertical development and higher density. The 'Cannabis sativa' plants are taller and less dense, which is related to fewer knots.

flowers

Before flower formation, plants develop flower buds in the area where branches meet stems. These formations, also known as pre-flowers, will be different in each genus. On the one hand, female plants will develop a small pear-shaped bag (called the calyx ) that is formed by pistils,  from which two hair-shaped stigmas will emerge, which connect with the ovaries of the flower, and which generally they're on white colour.

Meanwhile, male flowers will also have a tiny sac where pollen is stored, but without any prominent stigma. This sac is formed by five sepals, which are an essential part in the formation of the calyx of the male flower, holding the petals. As flowering progresses, more male flowers will appear, forming a cluster that will hang downward. The accumulation of female flowers over time is what will eventually form the so-called buds (or tails) of the plant.

In the next post, we will analyze in detail the specific parts of these marijuana buds. See you soon!