What is "theobroma cacao"

cacao \ca*ca"o\, n. [Sp., fr. Mex. kakahuatl. Cf. Cocoa, Chocolate] (Bot.) A small evergreen tree ( Theobroma Cacao) of South America and the West Indies. Its fruit contains an edible pulp, inclosing seeds about the size of an almond, from which cocoa, chocolate, and broma are prepared. [1913 Webster] ||

Sterculiaceous \Ster*cu`li*a"ceous\, a. [NL. Sterculia, the typical genus, fr. L. Sterculius the deity that presided over manuring, from stercus dung. So called because one of the original species is fetid.] (Bot.) Of or pertaining to a natural order ( Sterculiace[ae]) of polypetalous exogenous plants, mostly tropical. The cacao ( Theobroma Cacao) is the most useful plant of the order.

Theobromine \The`o*bro"mine\, n. (Chem.) An alkaloidal ureide, C7H8N4O2, homologous with and resembling caffeine, produced artificially, and also extracted from cacao and chocolate (from Theobroma Cacao) as a bitter white crystalline substance; -- called also dimethyl xanthine.

Chocolate \Choc"o*late\, n. [Sp., fr. the Mexican name of the cacao. Cf. Cacao, Cocoa.]

1. A paste or cake composed of the roasted seeds of the Theobroma Cacao ground and mixed with other ingredients, usually sugar, and cinnamon or vanilla.

2. The beverage made by dissolving a portion of the paste or cake in boiling water or milk.

   Chocolate house, a house in which customers may be served with chocolate.

   Chocolate nut. See Cacao.

Theobroma cacao is the taxonomic classification for the plant also called the cacao tree and the cocoa tree, which is a small ( tall) evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae, native to the deep tropical regions of Central and South America. Its seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make cocoa mass, cocoa powder, and chocolate.