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Revision as of 12:19, 29 March 2018
Malpighia emarginata is a tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae.
Common names include acerola (Spanish pronunciation: [aseˈɾola], Portuguese pronunciation: [ɐseˈɾɔlɐ]), Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry[1] and wild crepe myrtle.[2] Acerola is native to South America, southern Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Central America, but is now also being grown as far north as Texas and in subtropical areas of Asia, such as India.
Description
Acerola is an evergreen shrub or small tree with spreading branches on a short trunk. It is usually 2–3 m (6.6–9.8 ft) tall, but sometimes reaches 6 m (20 ft) in height.
The leaves are simple ovate-lanceolate, 2–8 cm (0.79–3.15 in) long, 1–4 cm (0.39–1.57 in), and are attached to short petioles. They are opposite, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, and have entire or undulating margins with small hairs, which can irritate skin.
Flowers are bisexual and 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) in diameter. They have five pale to deep pink or red fringed petals, 10 stamens, and six to 10 glands on the calyx.
After three years, trees produce significant numbers of bright red drupes 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) in diameter with a mass of 3–5 g (0.11–0.18 oz). Drupes are in pairs or groups of three, and each contains three triangular seeds. The drupes are juicy and very high in vitamin C (3-46 g/kg) and other nutrients.
Uses
- The fruit can be used to make juices and pulps, vitamin C concentrate, and baby food, among other things.
- A comparative analysis of antioxidant potency among a variety of frozen juice pulps was carried out, including the acerola fruit. Among the 11 fruit pulps tested, acerola was the highest-scoring domestic fruit, meaning it had the most antioxidant potency, with a Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity score of 53.2 mg.[3]
- Acerola is a popular bonsai subject because of its small leaf, fruit, and fine ramification. It is also grown as an ornamental[4] and for hedges.
- It is one of three ingredients in a proprietary herbal medicine for allergic rhinitis.
- Acerola is also used in proprietary herbal medicine for herpes.
Common name
- English - acerola
