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 θεος (theos), meaning "god," and βρομος (bromos), meaning "oats". It translates to "food of the gods." (→ there is a Greek word for "food" : βρῶμα]