Theobroma

Theobroma is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that is sometimes classified as a member of Sterculiaceae. It contains roughly 20 species of small understory trees native to the tropical forests of Central and South America. The generic name is derived from the Greek words θεός (theos), meaning "god," and βρῶμα (broma), meaning "food".[2] It translates to "food of the gods."

For the city in Brazil, see Theobroma, Rondônia.

Theobroma
Theobroma cacao fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Subfamily: Byttnerioideae
Tribe: Theobromateae
Genus: Theobroma
L.[1]
Species

See text

Synonyms

Cacao Mill.
Tribroma O.F.Cook[1]

Theobroma cacao, the best known species of the genus, is used for making chocolate.

Selected species
  • Theobroma angustifolium DC.
  • Theobroma bicolor Humb. & Bonpl. – mocambo
  • Theobroma cacao L. – cacao
  • Theobroma canumanense Pires & Froes ex Cuatrec.
  • Theobroma grandiflorum (Willd. ex Spreng.) K.Schum. – cupuaçu
  • Theobroma mammosum Cuatrec. & Léon
  • Theobroma microcarpum Mart.
  • Theobroma obovatum Klotzsch ex Bernoulli
  • Theobroma simiarum Donn.Sm.
  • Theobroma speciosum Willd. ex Spreng. – cacaui
  • Theobroma stipulatum Cuatrec.
  • Theobroma subincanum Mart.
  • Theobroma sylvestre Mart.[3]

Formerly placed here
  • Abroma augustum (L.) L.f. (as T. augustum L.)
  • Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (as T. guazuma L.)
  • Herrania albiflora Goudot (as T. albiflorum (Goudot) De Wild.)
  • Herrania mariae (Mart.) Decne. ex Goudot (as T. mariae (Mart.) K. Schum.)
  • Herrania purpurea (Pittier) R. E. Schult. (as T. purpureum Pittier)[3]
From left to right: T. grandiflorum, T. bicolor, T. speciosum, T. cacao

Uses

Several species of Theobroma produce edible seeds, notably cacao, cupuaçu, and mocambo. Cacao is commercially valued as the source of cocoa and chocolate.

Theobroma species are used as food plants by the larvae of some moths of the genus Endoclita, including E. chalybeatus, E. damor, E. hosei and E. sericeus. The larvae of another moth, Hypercompe muzina, feed exclusively on Theobroma cacao.

An active ingredient of cacao, theobromine, is named for the genus.

References
  1. "Genus: Theobroma L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2003-06-05. Retrieved 2010-12-09.
  2. Perseus Greek Dictionary
  3. "GRIN Species Records of Theobroma". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-12-09.


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