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Enriched botanical record

Cacao

Theobroma cacao L.

Also indexed ascacao treecacao speciescocoa plantTheobroma cacaochocolate treeBikinkaBuah CoklatCacao
FamilyMalvaceae
GenusTheobroma
Use categories9
Linked notes8
Poison use is recorded for this taxon.This is a classification flag, not a dosage guide. Do not infer safe use from any documented-use label.

Botanical identity

A seed-derived food ingredient used in drinks, spreads and culinary herbal recipes.

KingdomPlantae
Phylum / divisionTracheophyta
ClassMagnoliopsida
OrderMalvales
FamilyMalvaceae
GenusTheobroma
Scientific name with authorshipTheobroma cacao L.
Curated parts indexedSeed

Indexed scientific synonyms

Cacao minar Gaertn.Theobroma cocao L.Theobroma kalagua De Wild.Theobroma kalagua DeWild.Theobroma pentogona BernoulliTheobroma saltzmanniana BernoulliTheobroma sativa var. leucosperma A.Chev.Theobroma sativa var. melanosperma A.Chev.

Documented use categories

Medicine
Human food
Animal food
Environmental use
Gene source
Material
Poison reported
Social use
Crop wild relative

These categories describe the kinds of human-use reports attached to the taxon in the source checklist. Multiple categories can coexist; a plant may be recorded as both food and poison, depending on part, preparation and context.

How to interpret this record

Traditional and practical context

Traditional and practical context is preparation-specific. A documented use category is not proof of clinical effectiveness.

Evidence boundary

Evidence must be assessed by exact species, plant part, preparation, route, dose and health question.

Safety boundary

Confirm botanical identity, plant part, route, dose, medicines, allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding and age before use.

Dataset record and provenance

DatasetWCUPS 2020
LicenceCC BY 4.0
Name sourceIPNI
IPNI / external identifier320783-2
Use codesAF EU GS HF MA ME PO SU
Crop wild relativeYes

Contributing checklist sources

Kew Economic Botany CollectionUSDA GRINMedicinal Plant Names Services v8.2Useful Plants of New GuineaPlant Resources of South-East AsiaPlant Resources for Tropical AfricaUseful Plant ProjectUseful Plants of West Tropical Africa

Read the full dataset citation, licence and import methodology →

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Educational index, not a treatment recommendation

The presence of a taxon in this database does not provide a diagnosis, dose, formulation or assurance of safety. Some indexed plants are toxic, regulated, endangered or unsafe in specific life stages.

Connected preparations

Where Cacao appears.

Published field notes linked to this botanical identity. Each preparation carries its own safety and evidence boundary.

Historical Herbal PreparationsTraditional use

Distilled preparation of Cacao nut

An automatically extracted historical preparation published directly for live editorial review. Botanical identity, formula structure and safety may be incomplete; this is not treatment or dosage guidance.

Open note
Historical Herbal PreparationsTraditional use

Gargle of Cacao antillanum

An automatically extracted historical preparation published directly for live editorial review. Botanical identity, formula structure and safety may be incomplete; this is not treatment or dosage guidance.

Open note
Historical Herbal PreparationsTraditional use

Decoction of Chocolate of Health

An automatically extracted historical preparation published directly for live editorial review. Botanical identity, formula structure and safety may be incomplete; this is not treatment or dosage guidance.

Open note
Historical Herbal PreparationsTraditional use

Tincture of Chocolate of Health

An automatically extracted historical preparation published directly for live editorial review. Botanical identity, formula structure and safety may be incomplete; this is not treatment or dosage guidance.

Open note
Historical Herbal PreparationsTraditional use

Powder of Chocolate of Health

An automatically extracted historical preparation published directly for live editorial review. Botanical identity, formula structure and safety may be incomplete; this is not treatment or dosage guidance.

Open note
Historical Herbal PreparationsTraditional use

Syrup of Chocolate of Health

An automatically extracted historical preparation published directly for live editorial review. Botanical identity, formula structure and safety may be incomplete; this is not treatment or dosage guidance.

Open note
Herbal RecipesTraditional use

Winter Spiced Herbal Bitters for Digestive Health

A structured tincture draft assembled from 1 research source. Quantities, timing, safety and storage must be checked against the linked source material before publication. Key facts include yield life sweet, as they have a profound effect on our enjoyment of food and correct.

Open note
Preparation MethodsTraditional use

How to Make Herbal Ghee with Maple Syrup

A structured preparation method draft assembled from 1 research source. Quantities, timing, safety and storage must be checked against the linked source material before publication. Key facts include yield Herbal Ghee with Maple Syrup.

Open note
Ethnobotanical layer

Traditional-use records for Cacao.

Historical associations preserved from the USDA Dr. Duke dataset. These records are not treatment recommendations.