PHYLLANTHUS EMBLICA

Description

General Information
Phyllanthus emblica, also known as emblic,
emblic myrobalan, myrobalan, Indian gooseberry,
Malacca tree, or amla, is a deciduous tree of the
family Phyllanthaceae.
Name: Dry gooseberry
Scientific Name: Phyllanthus emblica
Nepali Name: Amala

DETAILS
The tree is small to medium in size, reaching 1–8
m in height. The branchlets are not glabrous or
finely pubescent, 10–20 cm long, usually
deciduous; the leaves are simple, sub sessile and
closely set along branchlets, light green,
resembling pinnate leaves. The flowers are greenish-yellow. The fruit
is nearly spherical, light greenish-yellow, quite smooth and hard on
appearance, with six vertical stripes or furrows.
Ripening in autumn, the berries are harvested by hand after climbing to
upper branches bearing the fruits. The taste of Indian emblic is sour,
bitter and astringent, and it is quite fibrous.

USES
Commonly used in inks, shampoos and hair oils, the high tannin content
of Indian gooseberry fruit serves as a mordant for fixing dyes in fabrics.
In traditional medicine, dried and fresh fruits of the plant are used. All
parts of the plant are used in various Ayurvedic medicine herbal
preparations, including the fruit, seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers.