92 COFFEE 



Common Names: — Wild Congo Coffee; Robusta CofEee; Rio 

 Nunez CoJEfee. 



Geographical Distribution: — Native of the Congo, Africa. Now 

 cultivated throughout Tropical Africa, and introduced into Java, 

 Sumatra, Trinidad, and India. 



History: — Coffea robusta Linden was originally collected in the 

 Congo region of Africa. It was first described in 1900. Its value 

 as a cultivated coffee was first realized in Java. Seeds were sent 

 from Brussels to Java in 1900. In 19 15, it occupied some thou- 

 sands of acres interplanted with Hevea brasiliensis (H.B.K.) Muell.- 

 Arg. or Para Rubber. This species of coffee was introduced into 

 the Botanic Gardens at Entebbe, Uganda, in 1901. Seedlings were 

 sent out from that station as well as from Kew, England. In 1912, 

 sixty-five acres were under cultivation in Uganda. In 19 15-19 16, 

 many more trees were planted. This species is very prolific. It 

 grows along banks of streams and prefers moist situations and not 

 too shady a habitat. Like Liberian coffee, it is well adapted for 

 growing at low elevations, from sea level to over 600 M. It has 

 the advantage of possessing the robust habit of C. liberica Bull and 

 the superior quality and the delicate aroma of C. arabica L. The 

 plant is not, like C. liberica Bull, pyramidal in form, but is rounded 

 in outline. Since it first became known from the Rio Nunez river 

 region, it is frequently referred to as Rio Nunez coffee. C. robusta 

 Linden matures very early; and, at the age of four years, it pro- 

 duces nearly 200 kilogrammes of coffee per hectare (about 2 acres). 

 This species frequently yields 500 grammes of coffee when only 

 three years old. Mature plantations in Java produce 1200 kilo- 

 grammes per hectare. Although this species does not yield as 

 heavily as some, its extensive cultivation in India and Ceylon is 

 assured since it matures early, grows well at low levels, and, up 

 to the present time at least, has completely resisted the coffee-leaf 

 fungus — Hemileia vastatrix. There were large areas of C. robusta 

 Linden planted in the Uganda Protectorate in 19 19. In 1920, 

 there were 260 acres of C. robusta Linden in Uganda. 



Use: — C. robusta Linden is cultivated on a commercial scale as 

 a substitute for C. arabica L. 



Bibliography: — Linden in Cat. PL Econ. Col. Hort. Col. Bruxelles 

 (1900) 64, t. 65.— Kew Bull. (1901) App. 3, 88.— DeWild. Miss. E. 



