Family Bond

For thousands of years Hops and Cannabis have been woven into our history. Ritual, medicinal, and commercial uses of these two plants are interlaced with past and present human societies. This raises the question, what are their similarities?
Hops (Humulus lupulus) and Cannabis (Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, Cannabis ruderalis) are derived from a common ancestor and can be thought of as cousins. From the order Urticales they are classified into the family Cannabaceae, a small family consisting of roughly 170 species.
Both are dioecious, meaning they have distinct male and female plants. Male plants are primarily responsible for wind driven pollination, while the females focus is on fruit or strobile production. The fruit of Hops are known as cones and Cannabis as buds. These fruits are highly resinous, and it is this resin that is exploited by commercial industries. Hop resin is found in the cones Lupulin gland. This gland imparts bitterness and aroma into beer. Cannabis resin is found in the Trichome gland, responsible for the plants pharmacological and aromatic properties. Furthermore, Hop and Cannabis resins are both antimicrobial. Hop concentrations have a direct relation on beer spoilage, and have been used as a natural deodorant. Cannabis Trichomes have been shown effective in killing drug resistant bacteria like MRSA.
Hops and Cannabis have proven useful throughout human history, but it is not our past that excites me. With today’s technology and research the best of family Cannabaceae is yet to come.