1.6.2.1 Historical Review
For most of recorded history,C. sativawas primarily valued as afiber source,
considerably less so as an intoxicant, and only to a limited extent as an oilseed
crop. Hemp is one of the oldest sources of textilefiber, with extant remains of
Fig. 1.4 Notable features offiber hemp.aDensely grown hemp, illustrating development of tall,
slim stalks and suppression of branching. Photo by Adrian Cable (CC BY 2.0 license).bHemp
stalk, showing the valuable phloem (bast)fiber separated from the woody core. Photo by Natrij,
released into the public domain.c,dCross sections of stems at internodes of, respectively, afiber
plant and of a marijuana plant. Fiber cultivars have stems that are hollower at the internodes, i.e.
with less woody tissues, since this allows more energy to be directed into the production of phloem
fiber
12 E. Small