Malpighia glabra L.

Occurrence

Tropical America, West Indies, South of Mexico and Texas.

Nutritional use

The fruit is edible and eaten raw or used in jellies and preserves.

Semeruco has a vitamin C content which exceeds that of oranges more than 100-fold. The seeds are also edible. In the pharmaceutical industry, the fruit is used to produce vitamin C tablets.

The wood is used as a dye for a red color. The shrub is often planted as an ornamental plant. The root, bark and green immature fruits have astringent properties. Unripe fruits contain a high amount of absorbic acid (vitamin C).

Medicinal uses

Powdered seeds mixed with the resin of the plant help against bronchitis.

Prevents and treats anemia, common cold, kidney stones, conjunctivitis, gonorrhea, parasites, constipation, jaundice, good for wounds, skin infections and stimulates appetite.

Roots, fruit, stem, cortex of plant are the most used parts of the plants medicinally.

"Cereja de Barbados, Acerola (Malpighia emarginata) Caribe native. Very common in Brazil." by mauro halpern is licensed under CC BY 2.0