A Rare West African Coffee
Several articles published internationally this year, reported on the rediscovery of a species of coffee called Coffea stenophylla. The most recent one that I read was contained in the Global Coffee Report magazine, July/August 2021 edition (https://gcrmag.com/could-the-rediscovered-coffee-species-coffea-stenophylla-be-the-next-arabica/ ). Do note however, that the headline photo with the flower in the Global Coffee Report article is the species Coffea affinis and not C. stenophylla as stated in that photo’s caption.
 |
| Photo 1 |
C. stenophylla apparently originated in West Africa and it was also cultivated since the 1800s in Sierra Leone, but was replaced by arabica and robusta varieties when these were later promoted as better commercial crops. No domestic cultivation of that variety exists today and its status is not well known.
C. stenophylla is claimed as having a taste similar to good arabica but shows tolerance to higher temperatures, even some drought tolerance and has resistance to common coffee diseases found in South America. What is interesting to me in the Global Coffee Report article, is the statement included from a report by J.H. Hart, the superintendent of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Trinidad, in 1898 that described the flavour of C. stenophylla as “excellent, and equal to the finest Coffea arabica”. Actually, in the original document cited, J.H. Hart’s words were quite a bit different.
In his Annual Report of the Superintendent Royal Botanic Gardens, Trinidad for year 1898 (Council Paper No. 23 of 1899), J.H. Hart wrote:
“The trees of the new coffee (Coffea stenophylla) have again borne excellent crops for the second season. The seed has been much in demand, but I am sorry to say our local planters have not yet taken any general interest, and most of our crop has gone abroad. The tree bears a small purple berry of the Moka type and the flavour of the coffee is excellent.”
There is a copy of a photograph taken around 1900 in that Royal Botanic Gardens with a C. stenophylla tree about 2 metres tall, referenced in a scholarly article published in 2020 (see: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.00616/full).
 |
| Photo 2 |
Photo 2. Coffea stenophylla cultivated in the Trinidad Botanical Garden, with Demerara sugarcanes. Photograph taken around 1900. Image from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as cited in Davis et al: Lost and Found: Coffea stenophylla and C. affinis, the Forgotten Coffee Crop Species of West Africa (2020).
Other coffee selections
Other types of coffee grown in Trinidad at that time briefly reported by Hart were:
“Maragogipe coffee or Brazilian coffee - a variety of Coffea arabica has produced a large crop of beans for the first time, a fine coffee of vigorous habit and has a much larger leaf than ordinary C. arabica with beans of nearly double the size.
Abbeokuta coffee – a coffee of the Liberian type and resembles it in vegetative characters. It was found in the district of Abbeokuta on the way to the interior from Lagos, west coast of Africa. A small patch has been planted for trial in St Clair.
Congo coffee – a coffee similar in appearance to the last and was received from Kew under this name. It is said to be a valuable kind but the plants are yet too small to indicate what type or character they will finally assume. They are growing well.
Minerva coffee – for some years we have had under cultivation a variety of C. arabica which has hitherto been called ‘narrow leaved’. This has now proved itself to be a very early fruiting and prolific variety and has been named ‘Minerva coffee’ for convenience of nomenclature. The beans are of large size and possess a very fine flavour.
Mexican coffee – this is another of the interesting introductions which are always being received from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. It is a variety of C. arabica and has proved itself to be a very prolific variety and one possessing a strong constitution.
Golden drop coffee – this is a varietal received in exchange, but about which we have received no definite information. It is evidently a variety of C. arabica. It will be tried on the new grounds at St Clair.”
Hart further noted in 1899 that: “The culture of coffee in Trinidad is certainly extending, somewhat slowly it is true, but still extending. The Botanical Department has sold large numbers of plants at four for a penny, which should be cheap enough to encourage planting.”
So, the mission now, is for me to try and find any C. stenophylla still alive and well in Trinidad. Not likely an easy task, certainly a worthwhile adventure!
