Theobroma cacao
| Theobroma cacao | |
|---|---|
| Cacao fruits on the tree | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malvales |
| Family: | Malvaceae |
| Genus: | Theobroma |
| Species: | T. cacao
|
| Binomial name | |
| Theobroma cacao | |
| Synonyms[1][2] | |
| |
Theobroma cacao (cacao tree or cocoa tree) is a small (6–12 m (20–39 ft) tall) evergreen tree in the Malvaceae family.[1][3] Its seeds—cocoa beans—are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.[4] Although the tree is native to the tropics of the Americas, the largest producer of cocoa beans in 2022 was Ivory Coast. The plant's leaves are alternate, entire, unlobed, 10–50 cm (4–20 in) long and 5–10 cm (2–4 in) broad.
- ^ a b c "Theobroma cacao L. Sp. Pl. : 782 (1753)". World Flora Online. World flora Consortium. 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Mentha canadensis L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Theobroma cacao". Encyclopedia of Life. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
- ^ "Cocoa". Drugs.com. 6 January 2020. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2020.