Common Trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

CHOCOLATE FAMILY (STERCULIACEAE)
158. Cacao, chocolate-tree Theobroma cacao L.*
Cacao, the source of cocoa and chocolate, is a seeds to a pound. Flowering in summer and fall.
small cultivated tree characterized by: (1) low F,ruits mature chiefly in sprin and summer.
spreading crown; (2) large elliptic or oblon The light brown, hard woocfis not used in Puerleaves
hanging downward, 8-14 inches long an fi to Rico.
21/241/2 inches broad, long-pointed, broadest above Cacao is planted widely in wet tropical regions
middle, and rounded at base; (3) many flomeibs in for its seeds or "beans," from which cocoa and
clusters along trunk, branches, and larger twigs, cl~ocolate are prepared by grinding and roasting.
1 to several on slender pink stalks 3/4-1 inch long, It is one of the best known cultivated plants origioddly
star-shaped, 5-parted, and spreading? e/s nating in the New TVorld. The Spanish Conqmsinch
across, whitish, tinged with orange and pink ; tadores found it already being cultivated by the
and (4) the large oblong or egg-shaped, yellow or Mexican Indians. Besides the main use in Mexico
purplish, fleshy fruits 6-12 inches long and 3-4 for preparing drinks, the seeds served the natives
inches thick, pointed, ridged and grooved, and as money. Sweetened chocolate now is an imhanging
downward from trunk.
portant Ingredient of candies and desserts as well
This evergreen tree, cultivated under larger as a popular beverage. Cacao (cocoa) powder and
shade trees, becomes 25 feet high and 6 inches in s rup from the seeds are official in the United
trunk diameter. The dark bromn bark is fis- gates ~l~armaco~oeia, serving as a flavoring agent
sured and rough, and inner bark is li llt brown and concentrated nutriment.
and tasteless. The twigs are brown an d minutely In active 'and abandoned coffee plantations,
hair when young.
chiefly in the west- part of the lower mountain
TK~ alternate leaves hang down from petioles regions of Puerto Rico. Cacao is planted to a
1,-1 incli Ion . Blades are slightly thickened, not limited extent also in St. Croix.
toothed on ef ges, green or dark green on upper R~~c~.-Native of southern Mexico and Censurface
and paler beneath.
tral America and spread by cultivation south to
Flowers have 5 narrow, pointed, widely spread- Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. Introduced and planted
ing pink sepals % inch long; 5 petals 1/4 inch long, tl~rougl~out the IVest Indies, mostly on a small
hood-shaped at base, with a very narrow middle
part bent backward, and spoon-shaped at apex ; 5
scale. Propagation worldwide in moist tropical
short stamens united into a cup at base and with regions.
narrow lobes I/a inch high ; and pistil com- &~mc COMMOX NAMES.--cacao (Spanish) ;
pose ve2' of 5-celled ovary, style, and stigma. cacao, cocoa, cllocolate-tree (English) ; cacao,
In the large 5-celled fruits are many large cacaoyer (French) ; caciio, cacateiro (Brazil).
chocolate-colored or purplish seeds 1 inch or mom Several cultivated varieties have been given dein
length and bitter tastmg. There are about 200 scriptive common names.