What is the Scientific Name of Coffee?

Whether you are a morning brew enthusiast or a botany student, you have likely wondered about the identity card, like the scientific name of your favorite caffeinated drink. Coffee is not just a bean. It is the seed of a fruit-bearing shrub. Coffee is part of a massive botanical family. And while the world runs on Arabica and Robusta, these are more than just marketing terms. They are different biological species with different genetic blueprints.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’s recent research shows there are more than 120 species in the coffee genus, but globally, we consume almost exclusively from just two. To understand why your cup tastes the way it does, and why these plants are in an environmental crisis today, it is important to know the scientific name of coffee and the family name of coffee.

What is the Scientific Name of Coffee? 

The primary scientific name of coffee is Coffea. However, because "coffee" refers to a genus rather than a single plant, the name varies depending on the specific species. The two most commercially significant species are Coffea arabica (Arabica) and Coffea canephora (commonly known as Robusta).  

According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), the name follows the binomial nomenclature system established by Carl Linnaeus. In this system, Coffea represents the Genus, while the second word (like arabica) identifies the specific Species. 

Classification and Family Name of Coffee Plant

The family name of coffee is Rubiaceae. It is one of the largest families of flowering plants and is commonly called the madder, bedstraw, or coffee family. The Rubiaceae are a family of opposite-leaved plants, widespread in tropical climates.

Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

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Common Types of Coffee and Their Botanical Names

There are more than 100 species, but only two are major in the world market. Each has its own botanical name of coffee that describes its characteristics:

Coffee beans on a plant.

• Coffea arabica (Arabica): Known for its sweet, complex flavor and lower caffeine content. It accounts for about 60-70% of world production.

• Coffea canephora (Robusta): Known for its strong, bitter taste and high caffeine levels. It is hardier and more resistant to pests than Arabica.

• Coffea liberica (Liberica): A rarer species with a distinct smoky flavor profile, grown primarily in Southeast Asia.

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Where did Coffee Originate From?

The scientific names for varieties of coffee plants can be traced back to their ancestral homes in Africa. Coffea arabica is indigenous to the highlands of southwest Ethiopia, where it is said to have been discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi. 

Coffea canephora (Robusta) is native to the humid lowlands of Central and Western Sub-Saharan Africa. National Geographic says the roasting and brewing of these cherries into a drink began in Yemen in the 15th century and then spread across the globe.  

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From its roots in the Rubiaceae family to the specific Coffea arabica species in your mug, the botany of coffee is as rich as its flavor. Understanding these scientific classifications helps us appreciate the biological diversity required to sustain the world's most popular beverage in a changing climate.