카카오-[정명] Theobroma cacao L.

과명	Sterculiaceae (벽오동과)	속명	Theobroma (테오브로마속)
전체학명	Theobroma cacao L.	추천명	카카오
이명		외국명	Cacao,Chocolate nut tree

추천명변경: 카카오테오브로마 -> 카카오
2013-05-15	Theobroma cacao L. : 영어명 띄어쓰기 등 수정

http://www.nature.go.kr/kpni/stndasrch/dtl/selectNtnStndaPlantDtl2.do?orgId=kpni

Theobroma cacao, also called the cacao tree and the cocoa tree, is a small (4–8 m (13–26 ft) tall) evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae, native to the deep tropical regions of Mesoamerica. Its seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.[3] The largest producer of cocoa beans in 2018 was Ivory Coast, with 37% of the world total.

Leaves are alternate, entire, unlobed, 10–40 cm (3.9–15.7 in) long and 5–20 cm (2.0–7.9 in) broad.

The flowers are produced in clusters directly on the trunk and older branches; this is known as cauliflory. The flowers are small, 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) diameter, with pink calyx. The floral formula, used to represent the structure of a flower using numbers, is ✶ K5 C5 A(5°+5²) G(5). While many of the world's flowers are pollinated by bees (Hymenoptera) or butterflies/moths (Lepidoptera), cacao flowers are pollinated by tiny flies, Forcipomyia midges in the subfamily Forcipomyiinae. Using the natural pollinator Forcipomyia midges for Theobroma cacao was shown to have more fruit production than using artificial pollinators.The fruit, called a cacao pod, is ovoid, 15–30 cm (5.9–11.8 in) long and 8–10 cm (3.1–3.9 in) wide, ripening yellow to orange, and weighs about 500 g (1.1 lb) when ripe. The pod contains 20 to 60 seeds, usually called "beans", embedded in a white pulp. The seeds are the main ingredient of chocolate, while the pulp is used in some countries to prepare refreshing juice, smoothies, jelly, and cream. Usually discarded until practices changed in the 21st century, the fermented pulp may be distilled into an alcoholic beverage. Each seed contains a significant amount of fat (40–50%) as cocoa butter. The fruit's active constituent is the stimulant theobromine, a compound similar to caffeine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_cacao#:~:text=Theobroma%20cacao%2C%20also%20called%20the,solids%2C%20cocoa%20butter%20and%20chocolate.

KBS방송화면 촬영

실제로 볼 날을 기대해본다.

카카오를 원료로 만든 초콜렛