| Photo Information |
Copyright: Ninfa Urania (Ninfa)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 112 W: 3 N: 204]](//i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (747) |
| Genre: Plants |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2005-12-04 |
| Categories: Flowers |
| Camera: Sony DSC-P200 |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2005-12-07 22:35 |
| Viewed: 5251 |
| Points: 2 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
* Floating.. Flower of the Cocoa.
Theobroma cocoa (1753)
Theobroma: The name derives of the Greek theós, god, and bróma, food, what means food of the gods that agrees with the Aztec legend that considered the seed of the cocoa of divine origin.
Name common in Mexico. Cocoa (Rep. Mex.) ; Biziáa, Bizoya, Pizoya, Yagabizoya, Yagabisoya, Yagapizija (l. zapoteca, Oax); Cacaotero, Cacaocuáhuitl (l. nahuatl); Caco (l. mixe); Cágau (l. Popoluca, Ver); Kahau, Haa (l. maya, Yuc); Cajecua (l. tarasca);
Chudenchú (l. otomí); Ma-micha-moya, Mo-chá (l. chinanteca); Yau (Yuc); Cacao, Cacahuatzaua (l. zoque, Chis).
Status. Native. It is native of the south of Mexico and of Central America. It is probable that this plant has been tamed in Mexico. Silvestre (it grows wild in low stratum). little envelope the flow génico is known in the wild populations.
* Flower (flowers). many flowers are presented in clusters along the trunk and of the branches, sustained by a pedicelo from 1 to 3 cm. The flower it is of pink color, purple and white, of small size, of 0.5 at 1 diameter cm and 2 to 2.5 cm of long, in star's form. Petals 5, of 6 mm long, white or colored of rose, alternating with the sepals and in a very singular way: straits begin in the base, they get wider and they are made concave to form a small cap and they finish in a lígula; sepals 5, roses, narrow, pointed, broadly extended. The inflorescences after producing flowers during several years become augmented tubers that they receive the name of "floral bearings."
Floración.It flourishes during almost the whole year (mainly summer and autumn).
Fructification. The fruits mature mostly in the spring and the summer.
Pollination. Natural pollination: entomófila. The main agent polinizador is an active and small "fly" (Forcipomya spp., Ceratopogonidae) that has been in all the areas where the cocoa is cultivated. The mosquitas can fly from a tree to another until a distance of 60 m and they have activity during the day after the 8:00 am. It has been informed that the aphids and several species of ants (Crematogaster sp. and Ectatomma tuberculatum) they also make the pollination. The pollen can stay viable for three days. The flowers are receptive from the tomorrow's first hours. The flower of the cocoa begins to open up gradually in the afternoon, and it continues at night until it is totally open fair before the dawn. A very big portion of flowers is not pollinated and they fall after 48 hours. The protoginia has been developed to prevent the autopolinización. The flowers functionally are female first and later males.
More information in:
www.conabio.gob.mx/conocimiento/ info_especies/arboles/doctos/68-sterc03m.pdf |
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