A very-low-caffeine coastal East African wild species long studied as a source of naturally decaffeinated genetics.
*Coffea zanguebariae* is a diploid wild species native to coastal woodland of southern Tanzania, northeastern Mozambique and Zimbabwe (the historical 'Zanguebar'/Swahili coast region for which it is named). Along with *C. pseudozanguebariae*, *C. racemosa* and *C. mauritiana*, it is one of a cluster of East African/island wild species carrying very low natural caffeine content, and it has been a repeated subject of decaf-breeding and caffeine-biosynthesis research since the late 20th century.
It has no commercial cultivation history and survives as a wild coastal species and a genetic-resource collection accession.
History
Described by João de Loureiro in 1790, studied since the late 20th century as a low-caffeine genetic resource.
Field notes
- i
Zanguebariae is named for 'Zanguebar' (Zanzibar/the Swahili coast), reflecting its coastal East African range.
- ii
It belongs to a cluster of naturally very-low-caffeine East African and Mascarene wild species long studied for decaf breeding.
Sources · 2 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-10.
- Coffea L. — Plants of the World Online · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
- Coffea zanguebariae Lour. — Plants of the World Online · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew