# Phytocannabinoid

> A phytocannabinoid is a cannabinoid made by a plant, chiefly the terpenophenolic compounds cannabis builds in its glandular trichomes, such as THCA, CBDA and CBGA.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/phytocannabinoid.html
- Also written: phytocannabinoids, plant cannabinoid, plant cannabinoids
- Glossary category: Cannabinoids and terpenes · 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"

A phytocannabinoid is a [cannabinoid](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabinoid.md) of plant origin. In cannabis they are terpenophenolics: a phenolic ring from olivetolic acid joined to a [terpene](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terpene.md) chain from [geranyl pyrophosphate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/geranyl-pyrophosphate.md), forming [CBGA](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cbga.md), which enzymes then convert into [THCA](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/thca.md), [CBDA](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cbda.md) or CBCA. The plant makes them almost entirely as carboxylic acids in the secretory cells of capitate glandular trichomes and stores them in the resin head.

## In practice

When a COA lists THCA, CBDA, CBGA, THCVA and CBCA, every one of those is a phytocannabinoid. Hanuš and colleagues catalogued well over 100 from cannabis, but most growers will only ever see five to eight on a standard panel. A few plants outside the genus (some liverworts, some *Helichrysum* species) also make cannabinoid-like compounds, which is why the term is broader than "cannabis compound".

## Don't confuse with

- **Endocannabinoid**: made by animals, including humans, not by plants.
- **Semi-synthetic cannabinoid**: such as delta-8 [THC](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/thc.md) or HHC as sold, produced by chemically converting plant [CBD](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cbd.md) or THC rather than by the plant itself.
- **Terpene**: a different compound class, though it supplies part of the cannabinoid skeleton.

## Related terms

[Cannabinoid](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabinoid.md), [CBGA](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cbga.md), [THCA](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/thca.md), [Trichome heads](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/trichome-heads.md), [Olivetolic acid](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/olivetolic-acid.md)

## Read more

- [Cannabis plant biology: the parts and what they do](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/basics/cannabis-plant-biology.md)

## Sources

1. Hanuš LO, Meyer SM, Muñoz E, Taglialatela-Scafati O, Appendino G. 2016. Phytocannabinoids: a unified critical inventory. Natural Product Reports 33(12):1357-1392.
2. Gülck T, Møller BL. 2020. Phytocannabinoids: origins and biosynthesis. Trends in Plant Science 25(10):985-1004.