APA Dictionary of Psychology

the seed of a tree, Cola acuminata or Cola nitida, that is native to tropical Africa and is cultivated in South America and the West Indies. The active ingredient is caffeine, which comprises about 1.5% of the dry weight of the nut. Kola was discovered for the Western world in 1667 by a Congo missionary, Father Carli, who observed that local tribesmen chewed the nut before meals.