Malpighia emarginata

Malpighia emarginata is a tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae native to the Neotropics.<ref name="morton">Template:Cite book</ref> The fruit is notable for its exceptional richness in vitamin C and versatility in various food preparations.

Names

Common names include acerola (from Template:Langx "azarole" for a similar looking old-world fruit<ref name=morton/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>), Guarani cherry, Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry,<ref name="Johnson">Template:Cite book</ref> wild crepe myrtle,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> cereza, and cerise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Distribution

Malpighia emarginata is originally native to the Lesser Antilles islands of the southern Caribbean Sea, extending into South America as far south as Brazil.<ref name=morton/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It has been introduced and even naturalized elsewhere in the neotropics, such as in Peru, Venezuela, and Ecuador, as well as the southernmost parts of the contiguous United States (southern Florida<ref name="GRINEmarginata">Template:GRIN</ref> and the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas).<ref name="GRINEmarginata" /><ref name="GRINGlabra">Template:GRIN</ref><ref name="A&M">Template:Cite web</ref> In Florida, it can be grown in protected locations as far north as Cape Canaveral.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is cultivated in the tropics and subtropics throughout the world from southern Europe to parts of Africa, India, and Australia.<ref name="Hanelt">Template:Cite book</ref>

Production

Brazil

Brazil is the largest producer of acerola worldwide.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> On Template:Cvt, Brazil produces Template:Cvt of acerola per year. In order to preserve the genetic variability of acerola, the federal rural University of Pernambuco in Brazil established an "Acerola Active Germplasm Bank" in June 1998.<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref>

Growth conditions

Acerola can be propagated by seed, cutting, or other methods. It prefers dry, well-drained, sandy soil and full sun, and cannot endure temperatures lower than Template:Cvt. Because of its shallow roots, it has very low tolerance to winds. Furthermore, a sufficient water supply is advantageous for good growth and maximum yields of large fruits. This is especially important during fruiting and flowering.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite journal</ref> The optimal growth conditions are reached at a mean temperature of Template:Cvt and Template:Cvt of rainfall annually.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref>

Description

Acerola is an evergreen shrub or small tree with spreading branches on a short trunk. It is usually Template:Convert tall, but sometimes reaches Template:Convert in height.<ref name="Agroforest">Template:Cite web</ref> The chromosome number is 2n = 40.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bark

The bark of young branches is green and sparsely covered with curly-haired trichomes, which fall off with age. The greyish to brownish bark is relatively smooth and covered with conspicuous cork pores when young. With age, it is thick and cracked.

Leaves

The leaves are simple, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate in outline, Template:Convert long, Template:Convert wide, with an entire or undulating margin. They are attached oppositely on the stem on short petioles. These leaves and petioles can irritate skin due to minute stinging hairs.<ref name=morton/>

Flowers

File:Flowers at Muzhappilangad101 (23).jpg

Flower

The tree flowers from April to November. Flowers are bisexual and Template:Convert in diameter. They have five<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> pale to deep pink or red<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> fringed petals, 10 stamens, and six to 10 glands on the calyx. The three to five flowers per inflorescence are sessile or short-peduncled axillary cymes.<ref name="Agroforest"/>

Fruits and seeds

File:Malpighia emarginata 2013 002.JPG

Malpighia emarginata fruit

Three years after planting, trees start producing fruits. 3–4 weeks after flowering,<ref name="Johnson"/> a number of bright red drupes Template:Convert in diameter with a mass of Template:Convert mature. The shell of the fruit is smooth and very thin. Its shelf life of 2–3 days at ambient temperature makes it highly perishable. Drupes are in pairs or groups of three, and each contains three triangular seeds. The drupes are juicy and high in vitamin C (Template:Convert)<ref name="Vendramini">Template:Cite journal</ref> and other nutrients. They are divided into three obscure lobes and are usually acidic to subacidic, giving them a sour taste,<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> but may be sweet if grown well.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Cultivation methods

Yield and harvest

Acerola flowers and fruits already in the first year after planting but increases its production in the following years, reaching up to Template:Cvt per plant in the sixth year.<ref name=":3" /> The fruiting season usually extends from April to November. The fruits should be picked frequently, as they are not stored on the tree. Ripe fruit should be handled carefully to avoid bruising and should be utilized as soon as possible or frozen for later use. Semi-ripe fruit will usually keep for several days in the refrigerator.<ref name=":2" /> Pollination by wild insects increases the fruit yield.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Sowing

Plants can be set at any time of the year, but the best time is spring, just before the rainy season. Choose a location with good water drainage and in a sheltered spot.<ref name=":2" />

Pests and diseases

Malpighia emarginata is a host plant for the caterpillars of the white-patched skipper (Chiomara asychis),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Florida duskywing (Ephyriades brunneus),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and brown-banded skipper (Timochares ruptifasciatus).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Larvae of the acerola weevil (Anthonomus macromalus) feed on the fruits, while adults consume young leaves.<ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Pn</ref> Template:Nutritional value

Nutritional value

Acerola fruit is 91% water, and 8% carbohydrates, and contains negligible protein and fat (table). In a reference amount of Template:Cvt, acerola supplies 32 calories, and is a rich source particularly of vitamin C at some 20 times the Daily Value (DV), with manganese at 26% DV, and other micronutrients at uniformly low levels (table).

Whereas the content of sugar, soluble solids and titratable acids increases with the ripening process of the fruit, the vitamin C content decreases. Therefore, the immature green fruit is harvested for industrial use of the vitamin C.<ref name=":3"/>

Uses

Culinary

Acerola cherry may be eaten raw or used as a juice or mixed with other, usually sweeter fruit juices.<ref name=morton/> The fruits are used in jams, concentrates, stews, and liqueurs, possibly needing sugar to improve flavor.<ref name=morton/> Cooked fruits are strained to remove the seeds, and the resulting sauce has uses on cake, pudding or ice cream.<ref name=morton/>

Acerola cherry powder is also used in some commercially produced breads as a bread improver.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Because acerola also contains pigments like anthocyanins and carotenoids, it could also be used as a food colorant.<ref name=morton/>

Others

Acerola is a bonsai subject because of its small leaf and fruit, and fine ramification. It is also grown as an ornamental<ref name="Gilman">Template:Cite web</ref> and for hedges.<ref name="Hanelt"/>

External links

• Template:Wikispecies-inline
• University of Florida: Acerola