Coffea arabica

Arabica coffee [ ara ː ˌ fe bikaka ː ] ( Coffea arabica), also known as Mountain Coffee or Java coffee, the most economically important plant species in the genus within the family of Rubiaceae coffee ( Rubiaceae ).

Description

Appearance and leaf

Coffea arabica grows as a shrub or tree, reaching maximum heights of growth of almost 5 meters. The constantly against arranged on the branches leaves are stalked about 1 cm long. The dark green, glossy leaf blade is oblong -elliptic or lanceolate -oblong wrong - sharpened to an acute upper end and tapering Spreitenbasis with a length of usually 5 to 20 cm. The sublime on both leaf surfaces midrib on both sides has 7-13 lateral nerves.

Inflorescence and flower

In the leaf axils are some short, zymöse inflorescences, each containing about three flowers. The support sheet is deltoid in a length of about 3 mm. The flower stalk is about 4 mm long. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite and most fünfzählig. The five white petals are almost always 7 to 10 mm long. The dust bags are 7-8 mm long.

Fruit and seeds

The so-called " coffee cherry " is an ellipsoid or oblong, when mature usually red colored stone fruit, which, however, is one to fünfkammerig predominantly two to dreikammerig. Their few seeds are the so-called " coffee beans ".

Dissemination

Coffea arabica originates originally the south-western Ethiopia. Many cultivars are now grown in many tropical and subtropical countries.

Legend

It is reported, a shepherd in the Kingdom of Kaffa have watched as a goat, as soon as she leaves and seeds of an evergreen shrub eaten, was seized with restlessness and insomnia. This he had told the monks that ever since this plant served to extend the vigils can.

History

Presumably, the use of the plant as a beverage is older than the Ethiopian Christianity. Initially tea was prepared from the leaves of the plant, which are so popular today in parts of southern Ethiopia. Unroasted coffee beans are harmful to human health, which is why they were first ignored. Probably in Yemen roasting and grinding the beans was discovered as a beverage base much later. First, among the Egyptians, and later the Turks was drinking the earlier " Arabic coffee " stimulating beverage called a habit and part of the culture. Since Dutch navigator late 17th century brought the coffee bean in today's Indonesia, Arabica coffee is also known as Java coffee, although under the name " coffee from Java" partially noblest varieties wholly owned Robusta coffees are traded.

Use

Coffee is one of the world's most popular drinks. Arabica is considered the highest quality bean. It is therefore preferred in growing and nowadays grown for export purposes in most tropical countries in small plantations; In contrast to the heat-resistant and faster growing robusta coffee is Arabica is characterized by noble taste and significantly lower caffeine content. The main customers are the countries in temperate zones. Coffee is a worldwide MTI and forms in some producing countries, the basis of local economy. An overview of the production is given in the article about coffee.

Brazilian biologists have found inherently weak caffeinated Ethiopian coffee plants. While the conventional Coffea arabica contains 12 milligrams of caffeine per gram dry weight, has the low caffeine only 0.82 milligrams. By using these plants reading the industry standard decaffeination process could be avoided.

Medical use is the coffee coal, among others, in case of diarrhea. Coffee coal produced by the beans are roasted on almost until complete charring.

System

The first publication of Coffea arabica took place in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum, 1, pp. 172 Coffea arabica belongs to the genus Coffea in the genus Coffea.

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