''Theobroma bicolor'', known commonly as the mocambo tree, jaguar tree, balamte, or pataxte, among various other common names, is a tree in the genus ''

Theobroma ''Theobroma'' is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae, that is sometimes classified as a member of Sterculiaceae. It contains roughly 20 species of small understory trees native to the tropical forests of Central and So ...

'' (family Malvaceae), which also contains the better-known '' Theobroma cacao'' (cocoa tree). It is found in

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and South America, including stretches of the

Amazon rainforest The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...

in Brazil,

Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...

, Ecuador, and Peru.

Taxonomy

''Theobroma bicolor'' is the only species in the ''Rhytidocarpus'' section of ''Theobroma''.Page 289, ''Food and Fruit-Bearing Forest Species, 3: Examples from Latin America/F2911'' Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Forest Resources Development Branch, 1986. / It was described by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland in 1808.

Description

''Theobroma bicolor'' can reach a height of 3–8 metres in open fields, although in the understories of forests it can grow to 25–30 metres. It is a slow-growing tree and grows best in loose, unconsolidated soils. It is adapted to survive flooding at a minimal level, but can sometimes last in deeper floods.Theobroma bicolor (Macambo)
at www.rainforestconservation.org. In the central Amazon region, the tree produces fruit from March to November, and flowers from July to September. Similar to its close relative, the cacao tree, the mocambo tree's seeds are edible, high in calories, and rich in protein and fiber. The seeds are also high in

Omega 9 Omega-9 fatty acids (ω−9 fatty acids or ''n''−9 fatty acids) are a family of unsaturated fatty acids which have in common a final carbon–carbon double bond in the omega−9 position; that is, the ninth bond from the methyl end of the fa ...

and contain caffeine.

Cultivation and use

''Theobroma bicolor'' was historically cultivated by the Aztecs alongside ''T. cacao'' for production of chocolate, although when chocolate was introduced to the

Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...

, they considered the product of ''T. bicolor'' to be of a lower quality. Its seeds can also be eaten fried or in soups, and the seed pods when emptied are used as

planters Planters Nut & Chocolate Company is an American snack food company now owned by Hormel Foods. Planters is best known for its processed nuts and for the Mr. Peanut icon that symbolizes them. Mr. Peanut was created by grade schooler Antonio Gentil ...

and containers. The pulp which surrounds the seeds can be eaten fresh, and has a sweet, mild taste. When the fruit is ripe, it naturally detaches from the tree branches and falls to the ground; the general method of harvesting is collecting the fallen fruit. Mayas placed a high value on the buttery foam crowning beverages of cacao and maize, according to descriptions from the time of the '' Conquista'', and it appears that a thick, stable foam can be produced using fruits of ''T. bicolor'' as source of cacao, but not with ''T. cacao'' fruits.Judith Strupp Green. 2010. Feasting with Foam: Ceremonial Drinks of Cacao, Maize, and Pataxte Cacao. Pre-Columbian Foodways 2010, pp 315-343.

Pests

'' Moniliophthora perniciosa'', a fungus which causes " witch's broom disease" on ''T. cacao'', was reported on a Brazilian specimen of ''T. bicolor'' in 1999.''Theobroma bicolor host of Crinipellis perniciosa in Southern Bahia.'' Lopes, J. R. M.; Bezerra, J. L.; Luz, E. D. M. N. ''Agrotrópica'', 1999 Vol. 11 No. 2 pp. 97-100.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q893238 Chocolate drinks bicolor Trees of Central America Trees of South America Trees of Brazil Trees of Colombia Trees of Ecuador Trees of Peru Taxa named by Aimé Bonpland