Coffee bean

The seed of the coffee plant, widely grown in high-altitude, tropical regions, particularly in South America, the Caribbean, Indonesia and Africa, of which two main commercial varieties are Arabica and Robusta. The coffee bean resembles a bean in shape and size, is deep brown in colour, and looks like two seperate halves joined together. Its endosperm contains the caffeine for which it is cultivated, and its flavour is earthy, intense, bitter and chocolaty.