For other uses, see Theobroma, Rondônia.

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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 θεος (theos), meaning "god," and βρομος (bromos), meaning "oats." It translates to "food of the gods." (→ there is a Greek word for "food" : βρῶμα)

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

Contents 1 Selected species 1.1 Formerly placed here 2 Uses 3 References 4 External links

Selected species

From left to right: T. grandiflorum, T. bicolor, T. speciosum, T.cacao photo: Roy Bateman

• Theobroma angustifolium DC.
• Theobroma bicolor Humb. & Bonpl. – Mocambo
• Theobroma cacao L. – 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.Theobroma speciosum Willd. ex Spreng. – Cacaui
• Theobroma stipulatum Cuatrec.
• Theobroma subincanum Mart.
• Theobroma sylvestre Mart.^[2]

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)^[2]

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 larva of another moth, Hypercompe muzina, feeds exclusively on Theobroma cacao.

References