(1787) Malpighia is a genus of flowering plants in the nance family, Malpighiaceae.

It contains 108 species of shrubs or small trees, all of which are native to the American tropics, ranging from Texas through Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean to Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.

The leaves are evergreen, simple, 0.5–15 cm (0.20–5.91 in) long, with an entire or serrated margin.

The fruit is a red, orange, or purple drupe, containing two or three hard seeds.

M. emarginata, the acerola, is cultivated for its sweet and juicy fruits, which are very rich in vitamin C.[5] 108 species are accepted.