Cacao

:For the town in French Guiana see Cacao, French Guiana

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Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a small (4-8 m tall) evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae (formerly Sterculiaceae), native to tropical South America, but now cultivated throughout the tropics. Its seeds are used to make cocoa and chocolate.

Related Topics:
Evergreen - Tree - Malvaceae - Sterculiaceae - South America - Cocoa - Chocolate

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The tree grows naturally in the low foothills of the Andes at elevations of around 200-400 m in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins; it was introduced to Central America by the Maya people. It requires a humid climate with regular rainfall and good soil. It is an understorey tree, growing best with some overhead shade. The leaves are alternate, entire, unlobed, 10-40 cm long and 5-20 cm broad.

Related Topics:
Andes - Amazon - Orinoco - River - Central America - Maya - Leaves

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The flowers are produced in clusters directly on the trunk and older branches; they are small, 1-2 cm diameter, with pink calyx. The fruit, called a cacao pod, is ovoid, 15-30 cm long and 8-10 cm wide, ripening yellow to orange, and weighs about 500 g when ripe. The pod contains 20 to 60 seeds, usually called "beans", embedded in a white pulp. Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40-50% as cocoa butter). Their most important active constituent is Theobromine, a compound somewhat similar to Caffeine.

Related Topics:
Flower - Trunk - Fruit - Seed - Cocoa butter - Theobromine - Caffeine

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The scientific name Theobroma means "food of the gods", while cacao probably comes from the Yucatec Maya word cacau.

Related Topics:
Food - Gods - Yucatec Maya

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