CACAO

Scientific name: Theobroma cacao  

Familia: malvaceae

Origin: Atlantic Forest, Brazil.

Popular names: cocoa.

Natural occurrence: some states in the North and Northeast.

Features: the tree measures from 6m to 12m in height, but, in shaded forest environments and without human pruning, its height can reach 20m. The leaves are alternate, with short petioles, oval, acuminate, entire, with pinnate and discolored veins. The flowers have white, yellow or pink petals, sessile, pentamerous, gamosepalous calyx, dialysepal corolla. Fruit is an ovoid berry, yellow in color, varying to dark red, coriaceous-cartilaginous, grooved, almost smooth and verrucous. The seeds are ovoid, compressed and surrounded by a watery, mucilaginous and acidic pulp.

Usage: Cocoa is the main raw material for chocolate, made by roasting and grinding its dried almonds in an industrial or homemade process. Other cocoa by-products include its pulp, juice, jelly, fine distillates and ice cream.

Source: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cacau;  https://www.infoescola.com/plantas/cacau/

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