Malpighia coccigera (Cultivated)

Malpighia coccigera L., Sp. Pl. 1: 426-427 426 1753. (Syn: Malpighia coccifera Reichard; Malpighia coccigera var. coccigrya (L.) Nied.; Malpighia coccigera var. microphylla Nied.; Malpighia coccigrya L.; Malpighia heranthera Wright ex Niedenzu; Malpighia heteranthera R. Wight III; Malpighia heteranthera Wright ex Niedenzu; Malpighia variifolia Turcz.);

Native of C. America; Cultivated for their edible fruits and as ornamental hedge plant as per BSI Flora of India;

 

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I asked because I recently saw it at my local small nursery stall , had profuse small white flowers that looked like white version of flowers of the Barbados cherry, that was recently gifted to me..  so bought it and brought it home… only to puzzle over it… leaves were small versions of holly, yet… googling for various holly leafed plants + adjectives I could think of,   didn’t produce any meaningful result over several days , (ie google failed, esp since it has become politicized and changed its paradigms for search engines..) , so I gave it a rest.. hoping some thing would stir in the universe to give me a HINT….

THEN…. your thread came up…. do you know how exciting it is for a non-botanist hell bent on proper diagnosis to find not only helpful clues but the NAME of the plant itself….

I will post the pictures of my plant and comparisons I had done  later in the week…
In the mean time … thank you for solving one of my ID questions…  once I had the name…Toptropical came up… but straight googling did not originally…

Moral of the story: armchair botany only goes so far… one needs deeper knowledge… I will need to cultivate it… quickly…

PS ONE MORE QUESTION>>> I came up with pictures on the net of Malphigia coccigera with enormous numbers of red berries, even when trained as Bonsai… but my plant does not have berries… all flowers fell off and now
no cherries…
SO is there a male vs female variety of this plant?

basically i was a Biotechnologist but interest in taxonomy since my childhood again pulled in this vast amazing world of Plants after getting regular job. Now i daily visit any Nursery or any other area rich in vegetation to get some new and interesting. Being Horticulture Incharge of My College, now i have an opportunity to purchase every plant i like either costly or cheap. Much Credit of this interest goes to efloraindia and especially some persons associated with this group Like …. and many more names who in my initial days helped and encouraged me one or the either way. Every time i get an id for a new plant for me, i feel so joyous !!!!!!!. 

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Yes …: its joyous to id and then research all about a plant that interests you…. or challenges you… I love the chase..  and knowing that someday  I may yet know a little something about a subject…

efloraofindia:”For Id 13102011MR1’’ Peculiar 5 petals pink flower Pune:  Request for identification Date/Time- Sep 2011

Location- Place, Altitude, GPS-Pune
Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type-Private garden
Plant Habit- Tree/ Shrub/ Climber/ Herb- potted plant
Height/Length- 1 foot
Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size-green
Flowers Size/ Colour/ Calyx/ Bracts- pink flowers
Fruits Type/ Shape/ Size Seeds- not see

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Malpighia cocigera – a reasoned guess.

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I am not sure of this plant being Malpighia coccigera because the said plant has leaves with serrate mergins (spinuous) but the posted plant seems to have entire leaf margin though some leaves in the back drop seems to have serrate

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Malpighia coccigera for sure.
Leaves of this plant are variable.
Even the color of flowers can be white or light pink.

SK917 29 DEC-2017:ID : 3 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (2)

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Pl. check at 

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