Taxon:  Malpighia emarginata DC.



Summary
Genus:
Malpighia
Family:
Malpighiaceae
Nomen number:
404858
Place of publication:
Prodr. 1:578.  1824
Comment:
authorship verified from original literature
Verified:
05/13/2012 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
9 (8  active, 7  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Malpighia glabra hort., pro parte
Malpighia retusa Benth.

Invalid Designation(s)
Malpighia punicifolia auct.
No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Barwick, M. 2004. Tropical and subtropical trees Timber Press..
  4. Bernal, R., S. R. Gradstein & M. Celis. 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
  5. Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45 Note: cultivated
  6. Edições Melhoramentes. 1979. The new Michaelis illustrated dictionary (Novo Michaelis dicionário ilustrado), ed. 22/24 Note: Edições Melhoramentes, São Paulo, Brazil
  7. Funk, V. et al. 2007. Checklist of the plants of the Guiana Shield (Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro; Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 55:1-584.
  8. Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica Note: mentions
  9. Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
  10. Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
  11. Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
  12. Kunkel, G. 1984. Plants for human consumption Note: lists as Malpighia emarginata Sessé & Moç.
  13. Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
  14. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  15. Meyer, F. K. 2000. Revision der gattung Malpighia L. (Malpighiaceae). Phanerog. Monogr. 23:226.
  16. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  17. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  18. Rehm, S. & G. Espig. 1991. The cultivated plants of the tropics and subtropics Note: = Malpighia glabra & M. punicifolia
  19. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Malpighia glabra
  20. Schreckinger, M. E. et al. 2010. Berries from South America: A comprehensive review on chemistry, health potential, and commercialization. J. Med. Food 13:233-246.
  21. Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
  22. Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
  23. Verheij, E. W. M. & R. E. Coronel, eds. 1991. Edible fruits and nuts. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 2:198-199. Note: = Malpighia glabra
  24. Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
  25. Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishacerola  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
EnglishBarbados-cherry  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
EnglishWest Indian-cherry  1Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Frenchcerise de Cayenne  2Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Frenchcerisier de Barbade as Malpighia glabra2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Malpighia glabra
Frenchcerisier des Antilles as Malpighia glabra2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Malpighia glabra
GermanBarbadoskirsche as Malpighia glabra2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Malpighia glabra
Germanwestindische Kirsche as Malpighia glabra2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Malpighia glabra
Portuguesecerejeira-das-Antilhas  2Edições Melhoramentes. 1979. The new Michaelis illustrated dictionary (Novo Michaelis dicionário ilustrado), ed. 22/24 Note: Edições Melhoramentes, São Paulo, Brazil
Spanish (Panama)grosella  2Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
Swedishbarbadoskörsbär  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoGuerrero  
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoOaxaca  
1NativeNorthern AmericaSouthern MexicoMexicoYucatán  
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaBelize  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica Note: mentions
1NativeSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaGuatemala  Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica Note: mentions
1NativeSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaFrench Guiana  Funk, V. et al. 2007. Checklist of the plants of the Guiana Shield (Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro; Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 55:1-584.
1NativeSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaVenezuela  Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaColombia  Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
1NativeSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaEcuador  Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
2Cultivated    widely cult. in tropics & subtropics 
4NaturalizedNorthern AmericaSoutheastern U.S.A.United StatesFlorida Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanAnguilla  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanAntigua and Barbuda  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanBarbados  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanCayman Islands  Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanCuba  Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanDominica  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanGrenada  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanGuadeloupe  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanHaiti  Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanJamaica  Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanMartinique  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanNetherlands Antilles  Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanSt. Kitts and Nevis  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanSt. Lucia  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanSt. Vincent and Grenadines  Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanTrinidad and Tobago  Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanUnited StatesPuerto Rico Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanUnited StatesVirgin Islands, U.S. Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaNicaragua  Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCentral AmericaPanama  Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaNorthern South AmericaVenezuela  Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaWestern South AmericaPeru  Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45 Note: cultivated
6Other    exact native range in neotropics obscure 
Native
Northern America
  • SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Guerrero, Oaxaca, Yucatán]
Southern America
  • CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Guatemala
  • NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Venezuela
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Colombia, Ecuador
Cultivated (widely cult. in tropics & subtropics)
Naturalized
Northern America
  • SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida]
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: Anguilla, Netherlands Antilles, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, United States [Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.], St. Vincent and Grenadines
  • CENTRAL AMERICA: Nicaragua, Panama
  • NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela
  • WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Peru
Other (exact native range in neotropics obscure)

Reference(s)
  1. Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
  2. Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45 Note: cultivated
  3. Funk, V. et al. 2007. Checklist of the plants of the Guiana Shield (Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro; Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 55:1-584.
  4. Hammel, B. E. et al., eds. 2003-. Manual de plantas de Costa Rica Note: mentions
  5. Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
  6. Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
  7. Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
  8. Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
  9. Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
  10. Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: Missouri Botanical Garden & Timber Press
  11. Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
  12. Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Human foodfruit Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Human foodfruit Kunkel, G. 1984. Plants for human consumption Note: lists as Malpighia emarginata Sessé & Moç.
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=404858. Accessed 13 May 2026.