Table 1.

Trends distinguishing the domesticated high-THC varieties C. sativa subsp. indica var. indica and C. sativa subsp. indica var. afghanica.¹

Character	C. s. var. indica	C. s. var. afghanica
THC/CBD ratio	≥7	<7
THCV+CBDV content	Often present	Often absent
terpenoid profile	“herbal” or “sweet” aroma, with no sesquiterpene alcohols	acrid or “skunky” aroma, with the presence of guaiol, γ-eudesmol, and β-eudesmol
height, branching	well-grown plants usually ≥ 2 m; branching flexible (with upward-angled habitus)	well-grown plants usually < 2 m; branching inflexible (with menorah-shaped habitus)
leaves at the base of inflorescences	lighter green, usually 7 leaflets, with gaps between leaflet margins	darker green, usually 9 leaflets, with overlapping margins
central leaflets of multifoliolate leaves	long and narrow, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate in shape; margins finely serrate, biserrate margins sometimes seen	long and broad, often oblanceolate in shape; margins coarsely serrate, biserrate margins rarely seen
pistillate inflorescences	relatively diffuse & open, sugar leaves relatively obscure (with a high perigonal bract-to-leaf index)	compact and with prominent sugar leaves (with a low perigonal bract-to-leaf index)
stalked glandular trichome density	few on the proximal end of floral leaves; moderately dense on perigonal bracts	many on the proximal end of floral leaves, extending at least half way down floral leaves; very dense on perigonal bracts
perianth	perianth with mottled pigmentation, sometimes persistent over entire achene	perianth with mottled pigmentation, rarely persistent, limited to base of achene
achene	exocarp color green brown (darker than afghanica), lower range of size smaller than afghanica; loosely embedded in perigonal bract and sugar leaves	exocarp color olive green to gray (lighter than indica), upper range of size larger than indica; tightly embedded in perigonal bract and sugar leaves
maturation time	later maturing	earlier maturing
other characters	susceptible to black mildew (Schiffnerula cannabis), monoecious plants occasionally seen	susceptible to gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew (Golovinomyces cichoracearum), monoecious plants rarely seen

¹ As emphasized in the text, the differences presented here represent the historical, unhybridized forms of “Indica” and “Sativa” landraces, before extensive recent hybridization between them.