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11. Cacao (English and Spanish) 

 Theobroma Cacao 



The cacao fruit is a fleshy greenish or yellow pod containing 

 numerous seeds or "beans" from which commercial chocolate, 

 cocoa and cocoa butter are obtained* Both the raw seeds and 

 the pulp are very good to eat. Several varieties of cacao trees 

 grow in Central America, particularly that known as pataste or 

 patashte. Cacao is cultivated widely in the Caribbean region. 

 It is also often found wild in the forests, especially in Panama. 

 The tree is easy to recognize because its small yellow flowers 

 and podlike fruits grow on the trunk. 



