Cannabaceae - Dagga family

Trees, shrubs, erect or climbing herbs, mostly monoecious or dioecious, with or without spines. Latex absent. Stipules paired, caducous. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, simple, often asymmetrical, usually 3-nerved at base or digitately 3-7(-11)-foliolate, the leaflets with a serrate margin. Flowers in small axillary cymes or clusters or solitary, unisexual or (rarely) bisexual. Sepals 4-5(-8), free or shortly united, persistent. Petals 0. Stamens 4-8, rarely more, free, opposite the perianth lobes. Ovary superior, 1-2-locular; ovules solitary, pendulous; styles 2, terminal, divergent. Fruit dry or thinly fleshy.

Comment: The most recent classification states that native genera in our region formerly placed in the family Ulmaceae now belong here.

Worldwide: 2 genera and 4 species, northern temperate regions to SE Asia.

Zimbabwe: 3 cultivated genera and 5 cultivated taxa.