One useful species in the family is Malpighia emarginata, often called acerola. The fruit is consumed in areas where the plant is native. The plant is cultivated elsewhere for the fruit, which is rich in vitamin C.
One feature found in several members of this family, and rarely in others, is providing pollinators with rewards other than pollen or nectar; this is commonly in the form of nutrient oils (resins are offered by Clusiaceae).
Davis, C. C., and W. R. Anderson. 2010. A complete phylogeny of Malpighiaceae inferred from nucleotide sequence data and morphology. American Journal of Botany 97: 2031–2048.
Michener, C. D. 2000. The Bees of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press. 913 pp. (p. 17-18)
Vogel, S. 1974. Ölblumen und ölsammelnde Bienen. [Tropische und subtropische Pflanzenwelt. 7]. 267 pp.