Publication
from Agroforestree Database: a tree reference and selection guide
version 4.0
by C. Orwa, A. Mutua, R. Kindt, R. Jamnadass and S. Anthony
Malpighia glabra L.
Local Names: English (West Indian cherry); French (cerise-antillaise); Thai (choeri); Vietnamese (so'ri)
Family: MALPIGHIACEAE
Botanic
Description
Malpighia glabra is a shrub or small evergreen tree, 2-3(-6) m tall, with spreading, more or less drooping branches on a short trunk.
Leaves
opposite, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, 2-8 cm x 1-4 cm, entire
or undulating, dark green and glossy above, petiole short.
Inflorescences
sessile or short-peduncled axillary cymes with 3-5 flowers; flowers
bisexual, 1-2 cm in diameter, pinkish to reddish; calyx with 6-10 large
sessile glands; petals 5, fringed, slender-clawed; stamens 10,
filaments united below.
Fruit a bright-red, juicy drupe,
depressed-ovoid, 1-3 cm in diameter and weighing 3-5 g, usually in
pairs or threes, obscurely 3-lobed; skin thin, flesh soft, orange, acid
to subacid.
Seeds 3, triangular, ridged.
In Florida, 'Florida Sweet' is a high-yielding cultivar.
A distinction is sometimes made in nomenclature between wild and cultivated (improved) plants, the latter being called M. punicifolia L. It is now, however, generally accepted that both taxa belong to M. glabra. M. coccigera L. and M. urens L. are incidentally cultivated in South-East Asia for the same purposes as M. glabra.
Biology
In Puerto Rico
flowering appeared to be independent of the daylength and several
cropping periods are possible per year, especially with alternating dry
and rainy periods. The flowers are pollinated by insects; honey
bees substantially improve fruit set. Self- and
cross-incompatibiliy have been reported. Fruits ripen completely
3-4 weeks after flowering. In Puerto Rico the large-fruited (up to
20 g/fruit) selection B-15 is most important.
Ecology
Acerola can be grown
almost anywhere in the tropics and warm subtropics. Young plants
are killed by frost, but mature trees survive brief exposure to -2
deg. C. The plants tolerate long periods of drought and do not
stand waterlogging.
Biophysical
Limits
Soil
types: The soil should preferably be rich, deep and well drained, with
a pH above 5.5. On calcerous soils the plants require
additional micronutrients, on acid soils addition of lime is required.
Documented
Species Distribution
Native: Puerto Rico, US
Exotic:
The
map above shows countries where the species has been planted. It does
neither suggest that the species can be planted in every ecological
zone within that country, nor that the species can not be planted in
other countries than those depicted. Since some tree species are
invasive, you need to follow biosafety procedures that apply to your
planting site.
Products
Food: The sour fruits are eaten
fresh, but more often preserved with sugar, e.g. in the form of
jam. The edible pulp represents about half of the fruit weight and
contains per 100 g: water 82-91 g, protein 0.7-1.8 g, fat 0.1-0.2 g,
carbohydrates 7-14 g, fibre 0.6-1.2 g, ash 0.8 g. The energy value
is 247 kJ per 100 g. The fruit, particularly when immature, is one
of the richest sources of vitamin C, containing up to 4.7 g per 100 g
edible portion. Juice is used commercially to enrich other fruit juices
low in vitamin C. Canned juice and frozen fruit are exported to the
United States, where they are used to enrich fruit preserves and are
marketed as baby foods.
Timber: The wood, which is hard and heavy, can be used for small utensils.
Tannin or
dyestuff: The bark has been used for tannin.
Medicine: The fruits are considered beneficial against liver problems, diarrhoea, dysentery, coughs and colds.
Services
Ornamental: The plants have ornamental value.
Boundary or barrier or support: The plants are suitable for hedges.
Other
services: The plants are very suitable for backyards and places where
children play (to eat the fruits and to climb the trees).
Tree
Management
The
recommended spacing is 3-4 m on the square, or in double rows, e.g. (4
+ 2) m x 3 m. NPK fertilization twice a year and application of
organic material are recommended for Puerto Rico. Bearing will be
enhanced if mature plants are judiciously pruned after the main crop,
followed by a top dressing. Trees start to produce well 3-4 years after
planting and continue for 15 years. Individual trees may produces 15-30
kg of fruits per year, whereas yields per hectare per year may vary
considerably: (10-)15-25(-65) t.
Pests and
Diseases
Diseases: Acerola is very susceptible to the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita var. acrita. It can be controlled by soil fumigation, mulching and regular irrigation.
Further
Reading
Braga SR, Mesquita ALM, et al. 1999. Occurrence of Fulcidax coelestina (Lac.)(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Fulcidacinae) in Barbados cherry Malpighia glabra L. Anais da Sociedade Entomologica do Brasil 28(3): 541-542.
Caceres
A. 1993. Plants used in Guatemala for the treatment of dermatophytic
infections 2. Evaluation of antifungal activity of seven American
plants. J. Ethnopharmacol. 40: 3.
Cerezal MP and Garcia VY. 2000.
Acerola - a neglected American fruit with high ascorbic acid content.
Alimentaria. 37(309): 113-125.
Cruz VDA, et al. 1995. Change in the ascorbic acid content of acerolas (Malpighia glabra
L.) as function of harvest maturation degree and storage temperature.
Arquivos de Biologia e Tecnologia Curitiba. 38(2): 331-337.
CSIR. 1962. The Wealth of India: A dictionary of Indian raw materials and industrial products. Vol. VI. CSIR.
Harjadi SS. 1992. Malpighia glabra
L. In Coronel, R.E. & Verheij, E.W.M. (Eds.): Plant Resources
of South-East Asia. No. 2: Edible fruits and nuts. Prosea Foundation,
Bogor, Indonesia. pp. 198-200.
Holanda YCA, Ponte JJD, et al. 1997. Disease of the Barbados cherry plant (Malpighia glabra) in the State of Ceara, Brazil. Fitopatologia Brasileira. 22(3): 453.
Hwang
J, Hodis HN, and Sevanian A. 2001. Soy and alfalfa phytoestrogen
extracts become potent low-density lipoprotein antioxidants in the
presence of acerola cherry extract. J. Agric. Food Chem. 49(1): 308-14.
Verheij
EWM, Coronel RE (eds.). 1991. Plant Resources of South East Asia No 2.
Edible fruits and nuts. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden.
Yee W L. 1999. Ecology, infestation levels, and populations of Anthonomus weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Malpighia glabra in Mexico. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 92(1): 90-97
|
|