What is "humulus lupulus"

Hop \Hop\, n. [OE. hoppe; akin to D. hop, hoppe, OHG. hopfo, G. hopfen; cf. LL. hupa, W. hopez, Armor. houpez, and Icel. humall, SW. & Dan. humle.]

1. (Bot.) A climbing plant ( Humulus Lupulus), having a long, twining, annual stalk. It is cultivated for its fruit (hops).

2. The catkin or strobilaceous fruit of the hop, much used in brewing to give a bitter taste.

3. The fruit of the dog-rose. See Hip.

   Hop back. (Brewing) See under 1st Back.

   Hop clover (Bot.), a species of yellow clover having heads like hops in miniature ( Trifolium agrarium, and Trifolium procumbens).

   Hop flea (Zo["o]l.), a small flea beetle ( Haltica concinna), very injurious to hops.

   Hop fly (Zo["o]l.), an aphid ( Phorodon humuli), very injurious to hop vines.

   Hop froth fly (Zo["o]l.), an hemipterous insect ( Aphrophora interrupta), allied to the cockoo spits. It often does great damage to hop vines.

   Hop hornbeam (Bot.), an American tree of the genus Ostrya ( Ostrya Virginica) the American ironwood; also, a European species ( Ostrya vulgaris).

   Hop moth (Zo["o]l.), a moth ( Hypena humuli), which in the larval state is very injurious to hop vines.

   Hop picker, one who picks hops.

   Hop pole, a pole used to support hop vines.

   Hop tree (Bot.), a small American tree ( Ptelia trifoliata), having broad, flattened fruit in large clusters, sometimes used as a substitute for hops.

   Hop vine (Bot.), the climbing vine or stalk of the hop.

Humulus lupulus (common hop or hop) is a species of flowering plant in the Cannabaceae family, native to Europe, western Asia and North America. It is a dioecious, perennial, herbaceous climbing plant which sends up new shoots in early spring and dies back to a cold-hardy rhizome in autumn. Strictly speaking it is a bine rather than a vine, using its own shoots to act as supports for new growth.

H. lupulus is an ingredient in most beers, and as such is widely cultivated for use by the brewing industry. The fragrant flower cones, known as hops, impart bitterness and flavor, and also have preservative qualities. H. lupulus contains myrcene, humulene, xanthohumol, myrcenol, linalool, tannins, and resin.