Datisca cannabina

{{Short description|Species of plant in the genus Datisca}}

{{Speciesbox

|image=Datisca cannabina 002.JPG

|image_caption=Male flowers

|genus=Datisca

|species=cannabina

|authority=L.Sp. Pl.: 1037 (1753)

|synonyms_ref=

|synonyms={{collapsible list|

• Cannabina laevis Moench
• Datisca glabra Stokes
• Datisca nepalensis D.Don

}}}}

Datisca cannabina, called false hemp, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Datisca, family Datiscaceae, native to the Aegean Islands, Crete, Cyprus, Anatolia, the Levant, the Transcaucasus, Iraq, Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the western Himalayas and Nepal.{{cite web |url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:316093-1 |title=Datisca cannabina L. |author= |date=2017 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=12 December 2020 }} It is one of the very few species known to have true androdioecy, meaning it has a mix of male and hermaphroditic individuals.{{cite journal |title=The genetic mechanism of sex determination in the androdioecious flowering plant, Datisca glomerata (Datiscaceae) |year=1997 |last1=Wolf |first1=Diana E. |last2=Rieseberg |first2=Loren H. |last3=Spencer |first3=Stanley C. |journal=Heredity |volume=78 |issue=2 |pages=190–204 |doi=10.1038/hdy.1997.27 |s2cid=27605267 |doi-access=free |bibcode=1997Hered..78..190W }}

This tall herbaceous perennial grows to a maximum height and spread of {{cvt|2.5|m|ft|abbr=on}}, with ash-like clusters of bright green leaves, and arching shoots covered in tassels of small green and white flowers during summer. It is hardy but prefers a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade.{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/5352/datisca-cannabina/details | title = Datisca cannabina | publisher = RHS | access-date = 15 February 2023}}

Local artisans use its roots to produce a fast yellow dye.{{cite book |last=Liotard |first=L. |date=1881 |title=Memorandum on Dyes of Indian Growth and Production |location=Calcutta |publisher=Home Revenue and Agricultural Department Press |pages=89–96 |quote=…roots of alkabir (Datisca cannabina)…}}

File:Datisca cannabina 001.JPG|Growth form

File:Datisca cannabina.jpg|Top

File:Datisca cannabina fruits.jpg|In fruit

File:Datisca cannabina seeds, by Omar Hoftun.jpg|Seeds