English Name: Emblic Myrobolan, Indian Gooseberry

Scientific Name: Phyllanthus emblica L.

Nepali Name: अमला (Amala)

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Medium sized deciduous tree reaching upto 15 m. Leaves simple, linear-oblong blunt, entire, hairless, small petioled, arranged in two ranks on slender branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves; 1 to 1.5 cm long and 0.2 to 0.3 cm wide with distinct midrib. Flowers minute, greenish yellow.

Amala naturally distributed from 150 to 1600 m throughout Nepal. Also found in sloppy areas and forests near roads.

Main harvesting time is from September to November.

Fresh ripe Amala fruit color is green. Dried raw fruit is light brown to black in color, wrinkled, slight sour, bitter. Both raw and processed Amala are in trade.

Government of Nepal has prioritized Amala in cultivation and conservation.

Uses:

Fruit is sour in taste and contains maximum amount of vitamin C. Amala is used to preserve the food materials. It is also used for digestion, Anemia, Jaundice etc. Fresh fruit is used to cure urine related diseases and dry fruit for Diarrhea and Dysentery. Fruit powder is also used as anti-dandruff. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used in manufacturing Chyawanprash and Trifala.

Fresh fruit is eaten raw or by making pickles.

Supplied country: India