Theobroma
Cocoa tree ( Theobroma cacao)
The cocoa tree ( Theobroma ) are a genus of trees of the family of Malvenartigen. The natural range of the approximately 22 species is the tropical Americas. Known representative of the genus is the cacao tree, but cocoa and chocolate is made from the seeds of other species.
Description
The cocoa trees are trees with alternate, entire leaves and large. The hermaphroditic and small flowers grow singly or in cymes mostly on the trunk ( cauliflory ) or larger branches ( Ramiflorie ). The calyx is fünfzipfelig and almost divided to the base. The five petals are strongly concave in the lower range are narrower in the middle part and the outer region spatulate. The stamens grow in five groups of 1 to 3, which are arranged alternately to five staminodes. The ovary is sessile, five- chambered with numerous ovules per chamber. The scar is five-lobed. The fruits are large stone fruits with numerous embedded in the fruit flesh seeds.
Distribution and ecology
The natural range of the species is located in the tropical Central and South America. They usually grow in the undergrowth of tropical rain forests.
Systematics and history of research
The cocoa tree ( Theobroma ) are a genus of the family of Malvenartigen ( Malvaceae ). There they are assigned to the subfamily Byttnerioideae, Tribe Theobromateae. The genus was described in 1753 by Carolus Linnaeus in the second volume of the Species Plantarum first time scientifically. The selected Linnaeus genus name Theobroma comes from the Greek and is derived from theos for "God" and BROMA for "food " from, means together so " food of the gods ". This name refers to the manufactured mainly from the type Theobroma cacao products, namely cocoa and chocolate.
There are about 22 species distinguished, including:
- Theobroma angustifolium Sessé et Moc. ex DC.
- Theobroma bernoullii Pittier
- Theobroma bicolor Humb. et Bonpl.
- Cocoa tree ( Theobroma cacao L. )
- Theobroma Gileri Cuatrec.
- Theobroma glaucum H. Karst.
- Theobroma grandiflorum ( Willd. ex Spreng. ) K.Schum. - Cupuaçu
- Theobroma hylaeum Cuatrec.
- Theobroma mammosum Cuatrec. et Jorge León
- Theobroma microcarpum Mart.
- Theobroma obovatum Klotzsch ex Bernoulli
- Theobroma Simiarum Thu. Sm
- Theobroma sinuosum Pav ex Huber
- Theobroma speciosum Willd. ex Spreng.
- Theobroma subincanum Mart.
- Theobroma velutinum Benoist
Use
From the seeds of the cacao tree ( Theobroma cacao), but also other species such as Theobroma bicolor Theobroma grandiflorum and are manufactured cocoa and chocolate.