Şerbetçi Otu
(Humba) is a herbaceous plant from the Cannabaceae family, that blooms between July and September, with greenish-white flowers, 2-5 m high, with a wrapping stem, and a dioecious herbaceous plant. The stems of the plant are thin, climbing, winding and covered with hard hairs. The leaves are opposite, long-stalked and heart-shaped. The upper surfaces of the leaves are hard hairy. Male flowers are greenish yellow in color and in compound clusters, while female flowers are collected in round cones. The female flowers are surrounded by large, oval carrier leaves called brachte and brachtecik, and there are glandular hairs on them. In Turkey, it is cultivated on a large scale in order to obtain these female flower states around Bilecik-Pazaryeri. The yellowish-green cone-like female flower states of the plant are used. The female cases are collected in August and dried in the shade. They carry essential oils, bitter substances, resins, wax, tannins. In small doses, it has appetizing, diuretic, sedative effects. If taken in excess, it causes nausea and vomiting. It is used in brewing.
