cacao

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• cacao
• Chocolate Tree
• Cocoa
• cacao tree
• cocoa tree

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Cacao minus
• Theobroma cacao subsp. sphaerocarpum
• Theobroma saltzmannianum
• Theobroma leiocarpum
• Theobroma kalagua
• Theobroma cacao f. pentagonum
• Theobroma cacao subsp. pentagonum
• Theobroma sativum var. leucospermum
• Theobroma sativum var. melanospermum
• Theobroma minus
• Theobroma cacao f. leiocarpum
• Theobroma cacao subsp. leiocarpum
• Theobroma cacao var. leiocarpum
• Theobroma mexicanum
• Theobroma cacao f. lacandonense
• Theobroma pentagonum
• Theobroma sphaerocarpum
• Theobroma integerrimum

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Theobroma cacao, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae. Finally, it is situated within the genus Theobroma.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known scientifically as Theobroma cacao, is widely distributed across the West Tropical Africa region. Within this area, it is prominently cultivated in the nation of Ghana. Its geographical presence also extends to the country of Guinea. Furthermore, significant populations of this species are found throughout Ivory Coast and Nigeria. Finally, the plant's distribution reaches into Togo, completing its regional presence in West Tropical Africa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Theobroma cacao is characterized by its preference for specific tropical forest environments, where it thrives within Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Várzea, and Floresta Ombrófila (also known as Floresta Pluvial). This species occupies a broad altitudinal spectrum, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 1540 m AMSL. On average, the plant is found at a mean elevation of 400 m AMSL, indicating a primary distribution within low-to-mid altitude tropical zones.

Elevational range max:

1540 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Várzea, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Life history

The life history of Theobroma cacao is characterized by its nature as a perennial species, meaning it maintains its vegetative structure and productive capacity over many years rather than completing its cycle within a single growing season. As an evergreen plant, it does not undergo a seasonal shedding of its foliage, ensuring that it retains a lush, green canopy throughout the year, which is essential for the continuous photosynthetic processes required to support its heavy fruit production. This long-lived growth habit allows the plant to establish a robust root system and a stable architectural framework, enabling it to produce cacao pods repeatedly over its extended lifespan.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Theobroma cacao is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree, which typically reaches a height of approximately 8 m, with both its mean and maximum height recorded at this value. It is a terrestrial plant that exists independently, functioning as a non-parasitic organism. In terms of its structural habit, it is a self-supporting species rather than a climber, liana, or vine, and it does not exhibit epiphytic behavior, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

8 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Theobroma cacao is characterized by specific metabolic and structural adaptations suited to its tropical understory habitat. It utilizes the C3 photosynthetic pathway, a mechanism that involves the direct fixation of carbon dioxide by the enzyme RuBisCO, which is efficient under the shaded, humid conditions in which the plant typically grows. Structurally, the species does not exhibit succulence, meaning it lacks specialized thickened tissues for significant water storage, making it reliant on consistent environmental moisture to maintain turgor pressure. Furthermore, Theobroma cacao is not a nitrogen fixer; it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms, necessitating the availability of nitrogen within the soil substrate for optimal growth and nutrient uptake.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Theobroma cacao is characterized by a complex biological process involving biotic pollination and specialized dispersal mechanisms. The plant utilizes a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by insects, with ants playing a significant role in the reproductive cycle; notably, self-fertilization is absent, necessitating these external agents for successful fertilization. The resulting fruits are classified as dry in nature. The seeds produced exhibit significant morphological variation, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 15 mm to a maximum of 100 mm. In terms of physical dimensions and weight, the seeds maintain a consistent volume of 2300 mm³, while their mass varies from a minimum of 1.057 g to a maximum of 2.381 g, resulting in an average seed mass of 1.8928 g. Dispersal of the seeds is achieved through zoochorous syndromes, meaning they are spread by animals, though the species also exhibits anthropochorous tendencies, where dispersal is facilitated by human activity.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Fruit dryness :

dry

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

ant

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed length max:

100 mm

Seed length min:

15 mm

Seed mass max:

2.381 g

Seed mass mean:

1.8928 g

Seed mass min:

1.057 g

Seed volume max:

2300 mm³

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Theobroma cacao has 2 reported plant parts identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, flower.

Seed

1. TheScientificWorldJournal
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Journal of medicinally active plants

Flower

1. Journal of medicinally active plants

Chemicals

Theobroma cacao has 193 reported phytochemicals identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include theobromine, caffeine, polyphenols, theophylline, (-)-Epicatechin.

theobromine

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one
3. Poultry science
4. Computational biology and chemistry
5. International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology

caffeine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)
3. Journal of food biochemistry
4. International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology

polyphenols

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current pharmaceutical design
3. Pharmacological research

theophylline

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology
3. Exercise immunology review

(-)-Epicatechin

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Proanthocyanidins

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of chromatography. A

caffeic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

oleic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of food sciences and nutrition

oxalic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of colloid and interface science

Activities

Theobroma cacao has 773 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Toxic, (+)-Inotropic, 11B-HSD-Inhibitor, 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food biochemistry
3. Heliyon
4. Journal of medicinally active plants

Toxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Poultry science

(+)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ATPase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Theobroma cacao has 21 reported investigations on conditions identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, HDL-cholesterol, HIV-1, LDL-cholesterol, SARS-CoV-2.

Cancer

1. Evolutionary bioinformatics online
2. ChemistryOpen
3. Journal of food biochemistry
4. PloS one
5. Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry

Hdl-cholesterol

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hiv-1

1. Biochemical and biophysical research communications

Ldl-cholesterol

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Sars-cov-2

1. Journal of medicinally active plants

Anemia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anti-asthmatic

1. International journal of immunopathology and pharmacology

Atherosclerosis

1. Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS)

Attention

1. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)

Avian influenza

1. Heliyon

Preparations

Theobroma cacao has 6 reported preparations identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Hydro-ethanol seed extract, chocolate candies, chocolate food beverages, confectioneries, food thickening.

Hydro-ethanol seed extract

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Chocolate candies

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Chocolate food beverages

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Confectioneries

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Food thickening

1. Journal of food biochemistry

Seeds extract

1. TheScientificWorldJournal