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Weed Information: Cannabis sativa (marijuana)
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Cannabis sativa (marijuana)

Family: Cannabaceae

Description

The palmately compound leaves with toothed leaflets are very distinctive. In the Midwest this species is weedy and often grows without assistance, but in the western states it is seldom found as an unintentional occurrence. Originally introduced as a fiber crop (hemp), but now strictly regulated due to its status as a controlled substance.

Characteristics

Flower Color
  • Green
Inflorescence Type (How the flowers are arranged on the plant)
  • Axillary cluster
  • Cyme (simple or branched)
Number of Petals
  • 0 (no petals)
Flower Symmetry
  • Flowers regular
Flower Length (Head length in the Asteraceae)
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
Flower Width (Head width in the Asteraceae)
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
Number of Sepals
  • 5 sepals
Sepal Separation
  • United at base < 25% length
  • United from 25% - 75% length
Sepal Tip
  • Pointed
  • Rounded
Flower Sex
  • Unisexual (monoecious or dioecious)
Number of Styles
  • Styles lacking (male flowers only)
  • 1 style
Number of Stamens
  • stamens lacking (female flowers only)
  • 5 stamens
Stamens Attached to the Petals
  • Stamens NOT attached to the petals
Stamens Connate (united)
  • Filaments or anthers NOT united

Carpel Separation
  • Carpels united (or one)
Number of Carpels
  • 0 (male flowers only or plants producing spores)
  • 2 carpels
Ovary Position
  • Superior (hypogynous)
Fruit Type
  • Achene
Fruit Length at Maturity
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
  • 4 mm (.16 inch)
Fruit Width at Maturity
  • 2 mm (.08 inch)
  • 3 mm (.12 inch)
Burs
  • Fruit or seed NOT bur-like

Leaf Arrangement
  • Alternate
  • Opposite
  • Opposite below, alternate above
Leaf Type
  • Compound palmate 4 or 5 leaflets
  • Compound palmate > 5 leaflets
Stipules
  • Foliaceous 4-10 mm (.16 - .40 in) long
  • Foliaceous > 1 cm (> .40 inch) long
Tendrils
  • Tendrils absent
Venation
  • Palmate
  • Pinnate
Petiole (leaf stem) Blade Ratio
  • Petiole < 25% total length
  • Petiole 25% - 75% total length
Leaf Length (blade PLUS petiole)
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.60 inches)
  • 4 - 10 cm (1.60 - 4.0 inches)
  • 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
  • 2 - 4 dm (8.0 - 16.0 inches)
Leaf Width
  • 2 - 4 cm (.80 - 1.6 inches)
  • 4 - 10 cm (1.6 - 4.0 inches)
  • 1 - 2 dm (4.0 - 8.0 inches)
Leaf or Leaflet Margin
  • Dentate
  • Serrate
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Base
  • Acute (cuneate)
  • Acuminate (attenuate)
Leaf or Leaflet Tip
  • Acuminate (attenuate)
  • Acute
Leaf or Leaflet Blade Surface
  • Pubescent
  • Strigose
Succulence
  • Not succulent

Milky Juice
  • Juice NOT milky (watery)
Woodiness
  • Herbaceous
Spines or Thorns
  • Spines or Thorns ABSENT
Aromatic (vegetative structures)
  • Aromatic
Life Cycle
  • Annual
Growth Habit (while flowering)
  • Erect, columnar (narrow)
  • Erect, spherical (bushy)
Plant Height at Maturity
  • 4 - 6 dm (1.3 - 2.0 feet)
  • 6 - 8 dm (2.0 - 2.6 feet)
  • 8 - 10 dm (2.6 - 3.3 feet)
  • 1 - 1.5 meters (3.3 - 5.0 feet)
  • 1.5 - 2.0 meters (5.0 - 6.6 feet)
  • 2 - 2.5 meters (6.6 - 8.3 feet)
  • 2.5 - 5 meters (8.3 - 16.6 feet)
Wind Dissemination
  • Not wind disseminated
Moisture Regime
  • Mesic
Chlorophyll
  • Present

Stem Cross Section
  • Hollow (flowering stem at maturity)
  • Ridged
  • Round
Flowering Stem Leaves
  • Stem uniformly leafy
Main Stem Branches
  • Main stem branched

Root or Vegetative Propagule
  • Tap Root

US State
  • Alabama
  • Arkansas
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Maine
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • West Virginia
  • Hawaii
  • Indiana
  • Maryland
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Iowa
  • Idaho
  • Minnesota
  • Montana
  • North Dakota
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming
  • Nebraska
Canadian Province or Territory
  • British Columbia
  • New Brunswick
  • Nova Scotia
  • Ontario
  • Quebec
  • Alberta
  • Manitoba
Other
  • Puerto Rico
  • District of Columbia

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  • Common Weed Seedlings of the United States and Canada, 1978 Coop Ext. Univ. of Georgia, Athens, See page: 8
  • Field Guide To The Common Weeds Of Kansas, 1983 (ISBN 0-7006-0233-X) See page: 15
  • Garden Weeds of Southern California, 1981, See page: 75
  • How to Know the Weeds, 1972, (ISBN# 0-697-04880-2) See page: 45
  • Manual of Ohio Weeds, 1931 Ohio Ag. Exp. Station Bull. # 475, See page: 66
  • Nebraska Weeds, 1979 Nebraska Dept. of Ag., Lincoln NE, See page: 40
  • Ontario Weeds, 1992 Agdex 640, Publication #505 See page: 115
  • Some Important Michigan Weeds, 1951 Mich. Ag. Exp. Station Bulletin #304, See page: 67
  • South Dakota Weeds, 1967 South Dakota State University, See page: 67
  • South Dakota Weeds 2002 South Dakota Dept. of Ag. 523 E. Capitol, Foss Bldg. Pierre, South Dakota 57501 See page: 64
  • S.W.S.S. Weed ID Guide, 1993 Section Number and Five letter code: 11 CNISA
  • Weed Seeds of the Great Plains, 1993 University of Kansas# 92-125-B ISBN# 0-7006-0651-3 See index #: 5
  • Weeds, 1955 (1980) Walter Conrad Muenscher, ISBN# 0-8014-1266-8 See page: 162
  • Weeds, 1957 Illinois State Dept. of Ag., See page: 52
  • Weeds of California, 1970, State of California Publications and Documents. See page: 26, 126
  • Weeds of California and other Western States, 2007 (ISBN 13: 978-1-879906-69-3) See Page: 552
  • Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains, 1994 (ISBN 0939870-00-4) See page: 234
  • Weeds of the Midwestern United States & Central Canada, University of Georgia 2010, ISBN#0-8203-3506-1 See page: 167
  • Weeds of the North Central States, 1981 Univ. of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign Bulletin # 772, See page: 47
  • Weeds of the Northern United States and Canada, 1964 Montgomery See page: 27
  • Weeds of the South, University of Georgia 2009, ISBN#0-8203-3046-9 See page: 145
  • Weeds of the United States and Their Control, Lorenzi 1987, ISBN# 0-442-25884-4 See page: 100
  • Weeds of the West, 1992 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 246
  • Weeds of the West, 2000 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 244
  • Weeds of Utah, 1971 UAES Special Report 21, See page: 23
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 X
  • Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds X
  • Capsella bursa-pastoris / Brassicaceae / shepherd's-purse
  • An Illustrated Guide To Arizona Weeds, 1972 (ISBN 0-8165-0288-9) 338 pages. See page: 142
  • California Growers Weed Identification Handbook, 1968 - 1998 University of California Publication # 4030-1, See page: 10
  • Common Weeds of Canada, Mulligan 1987 (ISBN 0-910053-59-9) See page: 48
  • Common Weeds of the Canadian Prairies, 1963 (Cat# A53-1136-1) See page: 28
  • Common Weeds of the United States, 1971 (ISBN 0-486-20504-5) See page: 198
  • Common Weed Seedlings of the North Central States, 2001 North Central Regional Extension Publication # 607 See page: 16
  • Common Weed Seedlings of the United States and Canada, 1978 Coop Ext. Univ. of Georgia, Athens, See page: 16
  • Field Guide To The Common Weeds Of Kansas, 1983 (ISBN 0-7006-0233-X) See page: 44
  • Fifty Important Weeds of Montana, Montana Ag. Ext. Service, 1920. 126 pages. See page: 89
  • Garden Weeds of Southern California, 1981, See page: 49
  • Gilkey`s Weeds of the Pacific Northwest, 1980 (ISBN 0-88246-039-0) See page: 132
  • How to Know the Weeds, 1972, (ISBN# 0-697-04880-2) See page: 88
  • Identification Guide to the Weeds of Quebec, 1999 (ISBN# 2-89457-174-7) See page: 90
  • Identifying Seedling and Mature Weeds (Southeastern US) 1980 North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Bulletin #461 See page: 128
  • Manual of Ohio Weeds, 1931 Ohio Ag. Exp. Station Bull. # 475, See page: 36
  • Nebraska Weeds, 1979 Nebraska Dept. of Ag., Lincoln NE, See page: 87
  • Northwest Weeds, 1990 (ISBN 0-87842-249-8) See page: 43
  • Ontario Weeds, 1992 Agdex 640, Publication #505 See page: 109
  • Representative Missouri Weeds and Their Control, 1941 Univ. of Missouri Ag. Exp Station Bulletin #433, See page: 103
  • Selected Weeds of Oregon, 1985 and 1989 Supplement (s) Oregon State Dept. of Agriculture, See page: 31
  • Some Important Michigan Weeds, 1951 Mich. Ag. Exp. Station Bulletin #304, See page: 111
  • Some Weedy Plants of North Carolina, 1955 North Carolina Ag. Ext. Circular # 390, See page: 29
  • South Dakota Weeds, 1967 South Dakota State University, See page: 95
  • South Dakota Weeds 2002 South Dakota Dept. of Ag. 523 E. Capitol, Foss Bldg. Pierre, South Dakota 57501 See page: 114
  • S.W.S.S. Weed ID Guide, 1993 Section Number and Five letter code: 12 CAPBP
  • Weed Seeds of the Great Plains, 1993 University of Kansas# 92-125-B ISBN# 0-7006-0651-3 See index #: 68
  • Weeds, 1955 (1980) Walter Conrad Muenscher, ISBN# 0-8014-1266-8 See page: 238, 240
  • Weeds, A Golden Guide, 1972 ISBN#0-307-24353-2 See page: 59
  • Weeds, 1957 Illinois State Dept. of Ag., See page: 78
  • Weeds and Poisonous Plants of Wyoming and Utah 1987 (ISBN 0-941570-06-1) See page: 48
  • Weeds of Alberta, 1983 Alberta Environmental Centre Agdex 640-4, See page: 115
  • Weeds of Arkansas 1981 (MP 169-5M-3-81) See page: 21
  • Weeds of California, 1970, State of California Publications and Documents. See page: 218
  • Weeds of California and other Western States, 2007 (ISBN 13: 978-1-879906-69-3) See Page: 471
  • Weeds of Canada, 1970 Canada Dept. of Ag., Pub. # 948, See page: 83
  • Weeds of Colorado, 1990 Cooperative Extension, Colorado State Univ. Bulletin 521A, See page: 83
  • Weeds of Eastern Washington and Adjacent Areas, 1972 (LOC 72-83635) See page: 144
  • Weeds of Kentucky and Adjacent States, 1991 (ISBN 0-8131-1743-7) See page: 80
  • Weeds of Nebraska and the Great Plains, 1994 (ISBN 0939870-00-4) See page: 200
  • Weeds of Nova Scotia, 1986 (ISBN# 0-88871-063) See page: 76
  • Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses, 1992 Univ. of Florida, Gainesville Publication # SP-79, See page: 115
  • Weeds of the Midwestern United States & Central Canada, University of Georgia 2010, ISBN#0-8203-3506-1 See page: 148
  • Weeds of the North Central States, 1981 Univ. of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign Bulletin # 772, See page: 91
  • Weeds of the Northeast, 1956, Univ. of Delaware Field Manual #1 See species #: 145, 300
  • Weeds of the Northeast, 1997 Cornell University ISBN# 0-8014-8334-4 See page: 132,168,172
  • Weeds of the Northern United States and Canada, 1964 Montgomery See page: 71
  • Weeds of the Northern U.S, and Canada, 1999 Royer and Dickinson, (ISBN# 1-55105-221-0) See page: 270-71, 293
  • Weeds of the South, University of Georgia 2009, ISBN#0-8203-3046-9 See page: 124
  • Weeds of the Southern United States, 1975, North Carolina Ag. Extension Circular #599 See page: 18
  • Weeds of the United States and Their Control, Lorenzi 1987, ISBN# 0-442-25884-4 See page: 154
  • Weeds of the West, 1992 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 220
  • Weeds of the West, 2000 (ISBN 0941570-13-4) See page: 218
  • Weeds of Utah, 1971 UAES Special Report 21, See page: 42
  • Wildly Successful Plants, A Handbook of North American Weeds, 1977 (ISBN# 0-02-528850-4) See page: 27, 201, 203
  • Listed as a `Weed` by the Biota of North America Program, 2008 X
  • Listed in the WSSA Composite List of Weeds X
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