Fruits
Acerola

Acerola
(Malphighia punicifolia L.) is a small tree or shrub that
grows up to 5 m high in the dry, deciduous forest. It
produces an abundance of bright red fruit 1-2 cm in
diameter, with several small seeds that look similar to the
European cherry. For this reason, acerola is also known as
the Antilles, Barbados, Puerto Rican, or West Indian cherry
tree.
The mature fruits are juicy and soft with a pleasant, tart
flavor. Acerola can be found growing wild and under
cultivation on the sandy soils throughout northeastern
Brazil. It is native to northern South America, Central
America, and Jamaica. Its cousin, M. punicifolia, is present
as far north as Florida and Texas.
In North America, acerola is used for its high content of
vitamin C. Dried acerola fruit extracts can now be found in
tablet form and as an ingredient in many over-the-counter
multivitamin products in the United States as a natural form
of vitamin C.