Theobroma 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 South America. The generic name is derived from the Greek words θεός ("theos"), meaning "god," and βρῶμα ("broma"), meaning "food". It translates to "food of the gods." "Theobroma cacao", the best known species of the genus, is used for making chocolate. Several species of "Theobroma" produce edible seeds, notably cacao, cupuaçu, and mocambo. Cacao is commercially valued as the source of
Midge greatly from species to species, though within any particular family, midges commonly have similar ecological roles. One type of midge "ceratopogonid midges" (a type of fly in the family Dipteran) is a major pollinator of "Theobroma cacao" (cocoa tree) because of its unique morphological and behavioral characteristics. Having natural pollinators has beneficial effects in both agricultural and biological production because it increases "Theobroma cacao" crop yield and also density of predators of the midges (still beneficial to all parties). Examples of families that include species of midges include: The Ceratopogonidae (biting midges) include serious blood-sucking pests, feeding both on humans