Malpighia urens (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Malpighia urens L.

Family: Malpighiaceae

Vernacular names

• Cowitch cherry, stinging cherry (En)
• Bois capitaine, bois d'amour (Fr).

Distribution

Originating in the Caribbean islands where it grows wild and cultivated. Occasionally cultivated in India and South-East Asia.

Uses

Pulp of the fruit is eaten.

Observations

• Shrub, 1.5-4.5 m tall.
• Fruit a subglobose drupe, 1-1.5 cm in diameter, red or rarely white, containing three seeds.

Selected sources

• Fouqué, A., 1972-1974. Espèces fruitières d'Amérique tropicale. Fruits 27-29.

• Mansfeld, R. & Schultze Motel, J., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kuturpflanzen. 2nd ed. 4 Volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin. 1998 pp.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen