We meet a product of this plant quite often.. we consume it often in most age groups and for some it is a prohibited joy. We have it as a treat/gift it/ relish it on the cheat day of a diet and so on...
You may have guessed.. I am referring to the Chocolate.. which is made from Cocoa beans that grow on the Theobroma cacao trees of the Sterculiaceae family.
It is an introduced species in India but seems to be very happy in our southern states where it is widely cultivated and we are now a significant producer of Cocoa beans. These images are from Munnar where it is a common sight.
The evergreen tree is well branched with shiny green leaves. Its small whitish flowers and grow directly on the trunk and thereafter it grow into a large fruit that's yellow when ripe.
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| Cauliflory - refers to flowers that grow directly on the trunk |
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| Tiny fruit visible |
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| A small tree that stands out in the lush green countryside |
4 comments:
It's so unusual to see flowers growing from the bark.
What a tasty one you got!
I did not know that the tree is Theobroma.I only know the famous cake chain by that name :P
Thanks for joining Archana. I am late but not going to miss posting.
Thanks Linn! We have a couple of species that show Cauliflory. Namely Crescentia cujete (not seen often) and Couroupita guianensis - very common tree. But yes, this is an usual feature
Thanks Parul. Happy to be part of TTL!
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