About Datisca cannabina L.
Datisca cannabina, commonly known as false hemp, is a flowering plant species belonging to the genus Datisca in the family Datiscaceae. It is native to the Aegean Islands, Crete, Cyprus, Anatolia, the Levant, the Transcaucasus, Iraq, Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the western Himalayas, and Nepal. It is among the very few confirmed species that exhibit true androdioecy, a reproductive system where the species includes both male and hermaphroditic individual plants. This tall herbaceous perennial reaches a maximum height and spread of 2.5 m (8.2 ft). It bears bright green leaf clusters similar in appearance to ash leaves, and produces arching shoots covered in tassels of small green and white flowers throughout the summer. It is hardy, and grows best in a sheltered location with either full sun or partial shade. Local artisans use the plant’s roots to make a bright yellow dye.
