- Coffea canephora
Taxobox
name = "Coffea canephora"
image_width = 250px
image_caption = Robusta Coffee
regnum =Plant ae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis =magnoliopsida
ordo =Gentianales
familia =Rubiaceae
genus = "Coffea "
species = "C. canephora"
binomial = "Coffea canephora"
binomial_authority = L."Coffea canephora" (Robusta Coffee; syn. "Coffea robusta") is a
species ofcoffee which has its origins in westernAfrica . It is grown mostly in Africa andBrazil , where it is often called Conillon. It is also grown inSoutheast Asia where French colonists introduced it in the late 19th century. In recent yearsVietnam , which only produces robusta, has surpassed Brazil,India , andIndonesia to become the world's single largest exporter. Approximately one third of the coffee produced in the world is robusta.Canephora is easier to care for than the other major species of coffee, "
Coffea arabica ", and, because of this, is cheaper to produce. Since arabica beans are considered superior, robusta is usually limited to lower grade coffee blends as a filler. It is however often included ininstant coffee , and inespresso blends to promote the formation of "crema". Robusta has about twice as muchcaffeine as arabica.Description
"Coffea canephora" grew indigenously in Western and Central
Africa . It was not recognized as a species of "Coffea " until the 18th century, about a hundred years after "Coffea arabica ". The plant has a shallow root system and grows as a robust tree or shrub to about 10 metres. It flowers irregularly, taking about 10 – 11 months for cherries to ripen, producing oval shaped beans. The robusta plant has a greater crop yield than that of "Coffea arabica" and is less susceptible to pests and disease.Once roasted, Coffea canephora (Robusta) tends to deliver a distinctive earthy/burnt rubber flavour, usually with more bitterness than "
Coffea arabica ". This powerful flavour can be desirable in a blend to give it perceived "strength" and "finish", noticeably in the Italian coffee culture.External links
* [http://www.ico.org/botanical.asp Comparison Chart of Robusta to Arabica]
* [http://www.ineedcoffee.com/02/04/vietnam/ Robusta Coffee in Vietnam]
* [http://dev.ico.org/prices/m1.htm/ Jan 2008 ICO break down of all Coffee exports]
* [http://dev.ico.org/prices/m1a.htm Jan 2008 ICO beakdown of Green Coffee exports]
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