Malpighia glabra
Acerola ( Malpighia glabra)
Acerola ( Malpighia glabra, Syn: Malpighia punicifolia ), also acerola, Acerola, maple cherry, Antilles cherry, cherry Antilles, Puerto Rican cherry, West Indian cherry, Jamaica cherry, Barbados cherry called, is a plant belonging to the family of Malpighiengewächse ( Malpighiaceae ) and is used as a fruit.
- 4.1 Design by
- 4.2 Literature
Description
Vegetative characteristics
Acerola are evergreen, prostrate shrubs or small trees with heights of growth of usually 1-3 m, rarely up to 10 m. The bark of young branches is green and sparsely occupied with striegel hairy trichomes that fall off in old age. The bark is smooth or filled with eye-catching Korkporen.
The oppositely arranged leaves are constantly membranous to leathery almost. The shape of the leaf blade ovate - lanceolate ranges from about elliptic- lanceolate to ovate. The leaves are usually 30-75 mm ( 20-110 mm) 1 long and 15-40 mm ( 10-55 mm) wide. Forward towards the leaves are sharp pointed or tapered rare, the base is tapered to a wedge-shaped or rarely rounded. The petioles have a length of 1.5-2 mm (1-3 mm), they are usually glabrous, rarely sparsely hairy striegel hairy, but this is lost in old age. The green or red-colored side sheets are free, they are initially hairy striegel hairy, but verkahlen also in old age. You are pfriemförmig and 0.5-1 mm long.
Inflorescences and flowers
The doldigen or rarely racemose inflorescences consist of four to six (two to eight ) flowers. The slender, green to reddish colored inflorescence stem is hairy or rarely glabrous harrow; its length is 5-12 mm (2-25 mm). The inflorescence axis is usually glabrous, rarely hairy striegel and 3-5 mm (2-7 mm ) long. The bracts are 1-1.5 mm (up to 2 mm) long, the bracteoles are 0.5-1 mm long. The green, hairless or nearly hairless flower stems have a length of 7-11 mm (5-15 mm). Among the sepals sometimes is a ring of bristles.
The buds have a diameter usually of 4-5 mm (3-6 mm). The flower diameter is 13-18 mm (10-20 mm). In the bud, the sepals are hairy hairy striegel, but verkahlen soon. Between sepals and petals are usually six ( seven to ten, but the extra then are very small ) oil glands. The posterior petals are 6.5-9.5 mm (6-11 mm) long, the hem is folded back occasionally sharp. The middle petals are 5.5-7 mm ( 5-8.5 mm) slightly shorter, shortest, the front petals of a length of 5.5-6.5 mm (4-8 mm).
The androecium is composed radial symmetry, all filaments are filiform, equal in thickness or are only slightly different thicknesses. They are straight, 2.5-3 mm ( 2-3.5 mm ) long. The anthers are usually the same length, only occasionally lying on the side anthers are slightly larger. Their length is between 0.8-1.2 mm. Also, the gynoecium is constructed radial symmetry. The pens are 2-2.5 mm (1-3 mm) long, the tip is blunted or truncated, the long ovary is not divided.
Fruit and seeds
The nearly spherical drupes have a diameter of 10-15 mm, are usually smooth and unlobed. The egg-shaped, not particularly hard seeds are 7-10 mm long and 5-7 mm wide. They are winged rear with a 1 mm wide, ganzrandigen wings, side wings are not formed.
Occurrences and locations
Acerola is used in an area that includes, among other things, Texas, Mexico, Panama, Brazil and Guatemala, also in Jamaica, there are deposits. Within the distribution area, there are strong differences in growth form, one finds in northern Mexico and Texas often tendrils shrubs, throughout Mexico, Texas and Jamaica also small shrubs, while throughout the range of most prevalent large shrubs and small trees. Outside the natural range the species is rarely cultivated.
This species grows in a variety of locations, moist ravines and river banks on roadsides and moist lowland forests to sites on dry limestone and rocky mountain slopes. The sites are located at altitudes between sea level and 1600 m.
Use
The fruits of acerola are among those with the highest content of vitamin C; 100 g fresh juice contain 1400-4500 mg of the vitamin. Therefore, the acerola cherry is used as a dietary supplement for the treatment of vitamin C deficiency. In advertising, the acerola is sometimes referred to as "power fruit." Since the body can store vitamin C hardly and the excess is excreted largely unused, the rumored special position of acerola fruit of the scientific nutrition advice is not shared.
Acerolafrüchte can be eaten raw. The juice is mixed with other, usually sweeter fruit juices. Export can not be the fruit, because it is so soft and juicy, that it must be processed immediately after harvest.
From the acerola cherry juices are produced, which are pasteurized or frozen in the trade. It is also offered acerola powder, which is obtained in the spray-drying process. Meanwhile, the gentlest, enforced the freeze-drying.
Popular is the use of juice, fruit pulp, concentrate and powder
- As vitamin fortification of other fruit juices,
- As acid addition to enhancing the inherent flavor of other fruits,
- For ice cream, jam and jelly making.
There is a reference to a cross-allergy to natural rubber.