Malpighia glabra

Malpighia glabra is a tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae. Common names include Acerola, Barbados Cherry, West Indian Cherry (all three names may also refer to M. emarginata) and Wild Crapemyrtle. The name for the plant in Vietnamese is sơ ri, which was derived from the word "cherry".

Distribution

It ranges from southern Texas south through Mexico and the Caribbean to Peru and Bahia in Brazil. It is also cultivated in India.

Description

It grows to 3 m (10 ft) tall, with a dense, thorny crown. The leaves are evergreen, simple ovate-lanceolate, 5-10 cm (2-4 in) long, with an entire margin. The flowers are produced in umbels of 2-5 together, each flower 1-1.5 cm (0.4-0.6 in) in diameter, with five pink or red petals. The fruit is bright red, 1.5-2.5 cm (0.6-1.0 in) diameter, containing 2-3 hard seeds. It is juicy, often as much sour as sweet in flavor, and very high in vitamin C and other nutrients.

Uses

As food

The fruit is edible and widely consumed in the species' native area, and is cultivated elsewhere for its high vitamin C content. There is 1677.6 mg of vitamin C in 100 g of fruit.

In the 1950s, a manufacturer of baby food decided that apple juice was milder for infants than orange juice. The company claimed that a drop of acerola juice in an 8 oz. can of apple juice provided the amount of vitamin C of an equal amount of orange juice. A detailed nutrition facts analysis shows Acerola juice does contain 32 times the amount of vitamin C in orange juice (over 3000% as much), supporting the claim.

A comparative analysis of antioxidant potency among a variety of frozen juice pulps was carried out, and included the acerola fruit. Among the eleven fruits' pulps tested, acerola was the highest scoring domestic fruit, meaning it had the most anti-oxidant potency, with a TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity) score of 53.2 mmol g.

In Puerto Rico, the acerola is so prized that custom officials exercise considerable precaution to prevent exporting of acerola cuttings.

In July 2008, Absolut Vodka announced its second product in a limited-edition series, Absolut Los Angeles, with acerola used as one of a combination of four flavors for the spirit. Açai, pomegranate and blueberry are also used.

Acerola flavour is also used in Tic Tac dragées.

In Vietnam, the most famous variety is from Gò Công district, Tiền Giang province.

Other uses

For many years, Acerola has been a popular bonsai subject. The best acerola bonsai have been cultivated in Taiwan, where it has become a very common plant in bonsai circles.

Translation

The phrase "Malpighia glabra" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Italian.

Translation(s) in other languages: German: Acerola, Spanish: Malpighia emarginata, Persian: آسرولا, French: Acérola, Hebrew: אסרולה, Kapampangan: Acerola, Dutch: Acerola, Japanese: アセロラ, Polish: Malpigia granatolistna, Portuguese: Acerola, Romanian: Acerola, Russian: Барбадосская вишня, Slovenian: Acerola, Swedish: Acerola, Tongan: ʻAselola, Vietnamese: Sơ ri, Chinese: 西印度櫻桃.