I have some of them in Kerala as well. Remember plucking one pod off!!! On Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 4:28 PM, Mahadeswara <[email protected]> wrote:
> Thanks for the nice photographs and info. The tree is cultivated on > large scale in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka for its fruits used for > manufacture of chocolates. > > On Mar 1, 12:07 pm, Bhatt Sweta <[email protected]> wrote: > > *Theobroma cacao* or the *cocoa tree* > > Location: Jeejamata Udhyan > > Family: Sterculiaceae > > > > *Theobroma cacao* genetics seem to show that the plant originated in the > > Amazon > > The scientific name *Theobroma* means "food of the gods". > > > > The flowers are produced in clusters directly on the trunk and older > > branches; they are small, 1–2 cm (1/2–1 in) diameter, with pink calyx. > > Cacao flowers are pollinated by tiny flies, *Forcipomyia* midges in the > > order Diptera > > > > The fruit is called a cacao pod and contains 20 to 60 seeds, usually > called > > "beans", embedded in a white pulp, which form the main ingredient for the > > CHOCOLATE!! > > > > Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40–50%) as cocoa butter. > > Their most noted active constituent is theobromine, a compound similar to > > caffeine. > > > > -- > > *Bhatt Shweta* > > *Asso. Prof.,* > > TCSC, > > *Doctoral Research Student,* > > M.S.U. > > > > Theobroma cacao.jpg > > 108KViewDownload > > > > Theobroma cacao (1).jpg > > 156KViewDownload -- *Bhatt Shweta* *Asso. Prof.,* TCSC, *Doctoral Research Student,* M.S.U.
