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Taxon:  Theobroma cacao L.



Summary
Genus:
Theobroma
Family:
Malvaceae
Subfamily:
Byttnerioideae
Tribe:
Theobromateae
Nomen number:
101885
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 2:782. 1753
Verified:
11/07/1985 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
0 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System. 
Other conspecific taxa
Theobroma cacao L. group amelonado (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group contamana (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group criollo (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group curaray (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group guiana (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group iquitos (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group maranon (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group nacional (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group nanay (0 active accession[s])
Theobroma cacao L. group purus (0 active accession[s])
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Homotypic Synonym(s)
Theobroma cacao L. subsp. sphaerocarpum (A. Chev.) Cuatrec.

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Theobroma cacao L. f. leiocarpum (Bernoulli) Ducke
Theobroma cacao L. f. pentagonum (Bernoulli) Cuatrec.
Theobroma leiocarpum Bernoulli
Theobroma pentagonum Bernoulli
Theobroma sativum (Aubl.) Lign. & Le Bey
Theobroma sphaerocarpum A. Chev.
No images
Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman & M. Hjertson. Våra kulturväxters namn - ursprung och användning. Formas, Stockholm (Handbook on Swedish cultivated and utility plants, their names and origin). 2009 Note:
    • based on Alden, B. & S. Ryman. 2005-: SKUD (Swedish Utility and Cultivated Plants Database)
    • http://www.skud.info
  2. Argout, X. et al. 2010. The genome of Theobroma cacao. Nat. Genet. 43:101-109.
  3. Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. Flora of Java. 1963-1968
  4. Bartley, B. G. D. 2005. The genetic diversity of cacao and its utilization. 341 pp.
  5. Cuatrecasas, J. 1964. Cacao and its allies: a taxonomic revision of the genus Theobroma. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 35:495.
  6. Dorr, L. J. 2011. Review of Malvaceae sensu lato data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm.
  7. Duke, J. A. et al. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs. 2002
  8. Encke, F. et al. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage. 1984
  9. Erhardt, W. et al. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen. 2008
  10. Facciola, S. Cornucopia, a source book of edible plants. 1990 Note: Kampong Publications
  11. Farnsworth, N. R. & D. D. Soejarto. Global importance of medicinal plants (unpublished draft manuscript rev. 23, 1988)
  12. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource). Note: http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/cropListDetails?code=&relation=beginsWith&name=Theobroma+cacao&quantity=1
  13. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  14. IPGRI. New World Fruits Database (on-line resource). http://www.bioversityinternational.org/databases/new_world_fruits_database/search.html
  15. Jardín Botánico Nacional. Flora de la República de Cuba. 1998-
  16. Leung, A. Y. & S. Foster. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics, ed. 2. 1996 Note: accepts
  17. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. Hortus third. 1976
  18. Macbride, J. F. et al., eds. Flora of Peru. 1936-1971; new ser. 1980-
  19. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2. 2000 Note: American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, MD
  20. McVaugh, R. Flora Novo-Galiciana. 1983-
  21. Motamayor, J. C. et al. 2002. Cacao domestication I: the origin of the cacao cultivated by the Mayas. Heredity 89:380-386.
  22. Motamayor, J. C. et al. 2008. Geographic and genetic population differentiation of the Amazonian chocolate tree (Theobroma cacao L.). PLoS One 3:e3311 http://www.plosone.org/
  23. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource). http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Frontpage.html
  24. Rehm, S. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants. 1994 Note: accepts
  25. Reichel, S. 1998. pers. comm. Note: re. German common names
  26. Royen, P. van et al. Manual of the forest trees of Papua and New Guinea. 1964-1970
  27. Silva S., C. R. & A. Figueira. 2005. Phylogenetic analysis of Theobroma (Sterculiaceae) based on Kunitz-like trypsin inhibitor sequences. Pl. Syst. Evol. 250:93-104. http://link.springer.com/journal/volumesAndIssues/606
  28. Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. Flora of Guatemala. 1946-1976
  29. Thomas, E. et al. 2012. Present spatial diversity patterns of Theobroma cacao L. in the Neotropics reflect genetic differentiation in Pleistocene refugia followed by human-influenced dispersal. PLoS One 7(10):e47676. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0047676 http://www.plosone.org/
  30. Vossen, H. A. M. van der & M. Wessel, eds. 2000. Stimulants. Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA). 1989- 16:113. http://proseanet.org
  31. Westphal, E. & P. C. M. Jansen, eds. 1989. A selection. Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA). 1989- A:265. http://proseanet.org
  32. Whitlock, B. A. & D. A. Baum. 1999. Phylogenetic relationships of Theobroma and Herrania (Sterculiaceae) based on sequences of the nuclear gene Vicilin. Syst. Bot. 24:128-138. www.aspt.net/systematic-botany
  33. Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. Flora of Panama. 1943-1980
Common names
English
cacao –
cocoa –
French
cacaoyer –
German
echter Kakaobaum –
Kakaopflanze –
Portuguese (Brazil)
cacaoeiro –
cacau –
Spanish
árbol del cacao –
cacaotero –
calabacillo –
forastero –
Swedish
kakao –
Distribution
Native
Northern America
  • SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Chiapas (s.), Tabasco]
Southern America
  • BRAZIL: Brazil [Amazonas], Brazil (n.w.) [Amazonas]
  • MESOAMERICA: Belize, Guatemala
  • NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Colombia, Peru [Loreto]
Cultivated (widely cult.)
Economic Uses
Food additives
Human food
beverage base (fide Ency CNatIn) –
Materials
lipids (fide Ency CNatIn) –
Medicines
folklore (fide CRC MedHerbs ed2; Herbs Commerce ed2) –
Social
religious/secular (chocolates are given to friends/lovers on Valentine's Day; fide Pl Res SEAs 16:113. 2000) –


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Plant germplasm is distributed to scientists, educators, producers and other bona fide research and education entities from National genebank of Tunisia active collection sites. The NGBT Curator and/or Research Leader will, in accordance with current NPGS policies and procedures, determine the legitimacy of a request when necessary.

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