The plant from which coffee is an evergreen shrub which is similar to the cherry tree. Called coffee tree or coffee.
 
The legend tells that coffee was discovered by a shepherd whose goats were overexcited every time they ate the berries of  this tree.The shepherd cut a branch and went to a monk who boiled the fruit and drank their juice. But it was to bitter and he threw it into the fire. Then the place was filled with a wonderful and intoxicating aroma and humanity discovered the coffee roasting.

But history supports other.
The history of coffee began in Ethiopia where the Coffea arabica grew freely like shrub. The name coffee comes from the Arabic word ‘qahwa’ which means "that which prevents sleep."

African coffee passed in Yemen where the slaves brought it from Sudan (today is called like that). The first mention of  Muslims is about 900 AD when a Persian physician Razi include this in his writings and estimated that the preparation of coffee as we know it today began around the 14th century.

The first detailed report that we have for the origin and the use of coffee was a work of the mufti of Aden (interpreter of the Qur'an) in the 14th century.

The coffee spread from Yemen to Mecca and Medina and from there to the major cities of North Africa. The property of the coffee to fight drowsiness made him very popular because while the Koran forbids alcohol the use of coffee was very good solution.

Thus, the coffee shops became places for gathering,discussions and gambling.
Coffee came to Europe from Venice in the late 16th century. He met harsh criticism from the Catholic Church because many believed that the pope should ban coffee as a threat to Christianity. Much to their surprise the Pope tried and found the coffee excellent and so he "baptized" it as Christian beverage. The first coffee shop opened in Italy in 1645.

At the end of the 17th century, coffee (in the form of the plant) traveled to America. The plant was transplanted to the Caribbean island of Martinique and from there to other tropical areas of South and Central America and thus became the ancestor of millions of trees.