Common Name:

General Information

Theobroma bernoullii is an evergreen tree growing 15 - 20 metres tall. The bole can be up to 25cm in diameter[]. The tree flowers on the trunk and branches[].
The edible white seeds are considered to be of excellent quality, though they are little used locally[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Northern S. America - Colombia; Central America - Panama.

Habitat

The lower tree storey of evergreen rainforests[]. Found in lowland swamps near sea level to heavily forested hills at elevations around 100 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	18.00 m
Pollinators	Insects, ?Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the hot, moist, lowland tropics[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 30°c, tolerating 16 - 40°c[]. It requires a mean annual rainfall within the range 2,000 - 8,000mm, evenly distributed throughout the year[].
Grows best in the dappled shade of other trees[]. Prefers a relatively rich, circumneutral soil[]. The plant is not drought tolerant, being unable to withstand even short dry seasons without the protection of dense shade and local humidity[].

Edible Uses

Seed[]. The white seeds are considered to make a high quality chocolate[]. The seeds of species in this genus are generally a rich source of oil (around 50%), starch (around 15%) and protein (around 15%)[]. They also contain a volatile oil and the stimulating alkaloids caffeine and theobromine[]. The white pulp is acidulous[].

Fruit - raw. The pulp is sucked out of the fruit, or it is used to make a refreshing drink[].

Medicinal

Although no specific reports of medicinal use have been seen for this plant, the seed is a source of cacao powder and butter. These products have the following medicinal uses:-
Cacao powder and butter, which are obtained from the seed, are nutritive[]. The butter is also applied externally as an emollient[].
Cacao powder is taken internally in the treatment of angina and high blood pressure[].
Cacao butter is an excellent emollient, being applied to the skin to soothe and soften it[]. It is used traditionally to treat chapped skin and burns, and is also rubbed into bruises[]. Research has shown that it can help to counter the bacteria responsible for boils and septicaemia[].

Other Uses

An oil, known as cacao butter, which is solid at room temperature, is obtained from the seed. In addition to being used locally as a food and medicine, cacao butter is important in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries[].

The heartwood is dark brown, the sapwood very thin and light brown. The wood is straight and close grained, taking a fairly good polish[]. It is used in the building of native houses[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a very short viability, requiring high humidity and optimum temperatures to remain viable. There is no dormancy, the seed often germinating whilst still inside the pod[].

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