Definition

Noun: 1. A botanical family of flowering plants: "Hemp family" is a common name for the plant family Cannabaceae. It is a small family of wind-pollinated plants, primarily known for including the genera Cannabis (hemp, marijuana) and Humulus (hops). In some older or alternative classification systems, these genera were placed in other families.

Usage Notes

• The term "hemp family" is used in botany and horticulture.
• It is a common name, with the formal scientific name being .
• Its classification has been subject to change, so it may not be used in all scientific texts.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Botanists study the hemp family to understand the relationship between hops and cannabis plants.
  • The hemp family, Cannabaceae, contains species of significant economic importance.

Advanced Usage

• In taxonomic discussion: The term may be used to discuss historical changes in plant classification.
  • In that older taxonomy, the hemp family was not recognized as a distinct grouping.

Variants and Related Words

• Cannabaceae (n): The formal Latin/scientific name for the hemp family.
• Cannabis (n): A genus within the hemp family, including hemp and marijuana.
• Humulus (n): A genus within the hemp family, including hops used in brewing.

Synonyms

• Cannabaceae: (The direct scientific synonym)

Notes on Different Meanings

• This term has a very specific, technical meaning in botany. It does not have common idiomatic or figurative uses outside of this scientific context. It refers solely to the taxonomic plant family.

Noun

1. two genera of erect or twining herbs that are pollinated by the wind, including the genera Cannabis and Humulus; term not used in all classifications; in some the genus Cannabis is placed in the family Moraceae and the genus Humulus in the family Urticaceae