Synonyms:

• (≡) Coffea arabica var. arabica L.
• (=) Coffea arabica var. columnaris Ottol. ex P. J. S. Cramer
• (=) Coffea arabica var. erecta P. J. S. Cramer
• (=) Coffea arabica var. goiaba Taschdjian
• (=) Coffea arabica var. laurina Laness.
• (=) Coffea arabica var. maragogipe A. Fern. ex A. Froehner
• (=) Coffea arabica var. mirta P. J. S. Cramer
• (=) Coffea arabica var. mokka P. J. S. Cramer
• (=) Coffea arabica var. polysperma Burck
• (=) Coffea arabica var. purpurascens P. J. S. Cramer

Common names:

• Arabian coffee  (Source: Dict Rehm) - English
• arabica coffee  (Source: World Econ Pl) - English
• coffee  (Source: World Econ Pl) - English
• coffeetree  (Source: Weeds SAfr 2001) - English
• koffieboom  (Source: Weeds SAfr 2001) - Afrikaans
• caféier d'Arabie  (Source: Dict Rehm) - French
• Arabicakaffee  (Source: Dict Rehm) - German
• arabischer Kaffeebaum  (Source: Dict Rehm) - German
• arabischer Kaffeestrauch  (Source: Zander ed17) - German
• Bergkaffee  (Source: pers. comm.) - German
• Kaffeestrauch  (Source: pers. comm.) - German
• caféeiro  (Source: Dict Rehm) - Portuguese
• café  (Source: pers. comm.) - Portuguese (Brazil)
• cafeiro  (Source: pers. comm.) - Portuguese (Brazil)
• cafeto arábico  (Source: Dict Rehm) - Spanish
• cafeto de Arabia  (Source: Dict Rehm) - Spanish
• arabiskt kaffe  (Source: Kulturvaxtdatabas) - Swedish

Economic Importance:

• Food additives: flavoring (fide Ency CNatIn; Pl Res SEAs 16:66. 2000)
• Human food: beverage base (fide Ency CNatIn; Pl Res SEAs 16:66. 2000)
• Gene sources: primary genetic relative of arabica coffee (fide Euphytica 87:59-64. 1996)
• Materials: beads (fide Bot Beads World; as http://www.botanicalbeads.com/BBB_page_56.html,)
• Materials: tannin/dyestuff (fide Pl Book)
• Medicines: folklore (fide CRC MedHerbs ed2; Herbs Commerce ed2; Pl Res SEAs 16:66. 2000)
• Social: stimulant (fide Pl Book; Pl Res SEAs 16:66. 2000)
• Weed: (fide Bot J Linn Soc 152:479. 2006)

Distributional Range:

Native

Africa

• NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia (s.w.), Sudan (s.e.)
• EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya (n.e.)


Cultivated




Africa

• WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Reunion

Asia-Tropical

• MALESIA: Indonesia [Java]


Naturalized




Africa

• Africa

References:

1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource on www.skud.info). 2012 (Kulturvaxtdatabas)
2. Davis, A. P. et al. 2006. An annotated taxonomic conspectus of the genus Coffea (Rubiaceae) Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 152:478-479.
3. Erhardt, W. et al. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 17. Auflage. 2002 (Zander ed17)
4. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. (pers. comm.)
5. Henderson, L. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12. 2001 (Weeds SAfr 2001)
6. Lashermes, P. et al. 1996. Genetic diversity for RAPD markers between cultivated and wild accessions of Coffea arabica (Euphytica) 87:59-64.
7. Mabberley, D. J. The plant-book: a portable dictionary of the vascular plants, ed. 2. 1997 (Pl Book)
8. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker Herbs of commerce, ed. 2. 2000 (Herbs Commerce ed2)
9. Rehm, S. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants. 1994 (Dict Rehm)
10. Reichel, S. 1998. pers. comm. (pers. comm.)
11. Smith, R. J. Botanical beads of the world (on-line resource). (Bot Beads World)
12. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. Flora of tropical East Africa. 1952- (F TE Afr)
13. Vossen, H. A. M. van der & M. Wessel, eds. 2000. Stimulants (Pl Res SEAs) 16:66.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Taxonomy).
National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: http://germoplasma.iniaf.gob.bo/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=300141. Accessed 7 junio 2026.