# Cannabis sativa L.

> The single botanical species, in the family Cannabaceae, that covers all hemp and drug-type cannabis; "L." credits Linnaeus, who named it in 1753.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabis-sativa.html
- Also written: Cannabis sativa, C. sativa, cannabis species, Cannabaceae
- Glossary category: Plant biology · Evidence: Established
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

*Cannabis sativa* L. is the botanical name for cannabis: one species in the family Cannabaceae, alongside hops (*Humulus*). The "L." is the author citation for Carl Linnaeus, who published the name in 1753. Most current taxonomists treat all cultivated and wild cannabis, [hemp](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hemp.md) and drug-type alike, as this one species, with variation expressed as subspecies, varieties or simply [phenotypes](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/phenotype.md).

## In practice

Growers use "sativa" in two [senses](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/sinsemilla.md), and that causes endless muddle. Botanically, every plant in your tent is *Cannabis sativa*. In shop talk, "sativa" means a tall, narrow-leaflet, long-flowering plant. A breeder writing a [GB-ID](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/gb-id.md) record should use the species name for the species and describe shape plainly ("narrow leaflets, 11-week flower") rather than lean on the label.

The species is normally [dioecious](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/dioecious.md) (separate male and female plants), wind-pollinated, an annual, and with an XY sex-chromosome system ([2n](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/diploid.md) = 20).

## Don't confuse with

- **"Sativa" (shop label)**: a plant-shape description, not a species.
- **Ruderalis**: a name for wild, [day-neutral](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/autoflower.md) northern populations, not a separate species in the house view.
- **Hemp**: a use and legal category within the same species.

## Myth check

"Indica, sativa and [ruderalis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/ruderalis.md) are three species" is not the consensus. GenetixBay's position (Established, one-species taxonomy): one species, many phenotypes, and nearly everything grown today is a hybrid. Indica/sativa describes plant shape at most and does not predict effects. See [indica, sativa, ruderalis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/indica-sativa-ruderalis.md) and [Mythbusters](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/mythbusters.md).

## Related terms

[Ruderalis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/ruderalis.md), [Dioecious](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/dioecious.md), [Photoperiod](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/photoperiod.md), [Achene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/achene.md)

## Read more

- [Indica, sativa and ruderalis: what the names really mean](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/genetics-history/indica-sativa-ruderalis.md)
- [Cannabis plant biology: the parts and what they do](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/basics/cannabis-plant-biology.md)

## Sources

1. McPartland JM. 2018. Cannabis systematics at the levels of family, genus, and species. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research 3(1):203-212. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2018.0039
2. Small E. 2015. Evolution and classification of Cannabis sativa (marijuana, hemp) in relation to human utilization. The Botanical Review 81:189-294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12229-015-9157-3
3. Sawler J, Stout JM, Gardner KM, et al. 2015. The genetic structure of marijuana and hemp. PLoS ONE 10(8):e0133292. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133292