NameGooseberry
Scientific NamePhyllanthus Emblica
NativeNative to Nepal, India and Sri Lanka, throughout South-East Asia to southern China.
Common/English NameAmla, Emblic, Indian Gooseberry, Malacca Tree, Myrobalan.
Name in Other LanguagesNepalese: Amalaa
Vietnamese : Chùm Ruôt Nui
Burmese: Mai Kham
India: Amluki ( Assam )
Russian : Fillantus Emblika
Chinese: An Mo Le
Philippines: Nelli
German: Amalanbaum
Thailand : Ma-Khaam Pom
Indonesia : Kemlaka ( Java )
Malaysia: Kik ( Semang )
Danish: Grå Myrobalan;
Persian: Amla
French : Emblique Officinale
Spanish: Mirobalano
Khmer: Kan Tot
Dutch : Kembaka Mylobalanen Baum
Sri Lanka: Ambula
Arabic: Amlag
Tibetan: Kyou-rhoo-rah
Italian: Uva Spina
Laos: Mak Kham Pom
Flemish: Stekbes
Plant Growth HabitFast-growing, small to medium-sized, low, deciduous tree
Growing ClimateGrows in tropical and subtropical regions from near sea level. It grows equally well in arid and wet or humid conditions. It is a light-demanding plant, common in grassy areas, brush, and village groves.
SoilThe species is not fastidious of soil type and grows on a wide range of soil types ranging from sandy loam to clay, light or heavy, and slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. It flourishes in deep, fertile soil. It is moderately drought-resistant but some cultivars may be sensitive to drought and frost. It is fire-resistant and is one of the first trees to recover after a fire.
Plant Size5–25 m tall
BarkThin, smooth, grey, peeling in patches, with numerous knobs,
TrunkTrunk often crooked and gnarled, up to 35 cm in diameter;
BranchletsBranchlets are glabrous or finely pubescent, 10–20 cm long, usually deciduous
LeafBiseriate alternate, thin, simple, light green, subsessile, closely-set leaves, resembling pinnate leaves with narrowly oblong, 5–25 mm × 1–5 mm lamina, rounded and more or less oblique base, acute or obtuse and mucronate apex and pinnate-nerved
FlowerGreenish-yellow, fascicled in axils of leaves or fallen leaves, unisexual. The male flowers are numerous at the base of young twigs, the female flowers Solitary and higher up the twig. Male flowers are shortly pedicellate, with six pale green perianth lobes 1.5–2.5 mm long and three entirely connate stamens, six disk glands alternating with the perianth lobes; female flowers sessile, with six somewhat larger perianth lobes, a cup-like six-angular disk, and a superior three celled, glabrous ovary crowned by three styles, connate for more than half of their length and deeply bifid at apex.
Fruit Shape & SizeDepressed globose drupe 2–4 cm in diameter, with six vertical striations
Fruit weightAbout 4 g to 10 g.
Fruit ColorPale green changing to yellow when mature
Fruit SkinThin, translucent
TasteThe sweet, slightly tart taste
SeedTwo trigonous, 4–5 mm × 2–3 mm seeds.
Varieties/Types
  • Fredonia
  • Mix well
  • Downing
  • Poorman
Major NutritionVitamin C (Ascorbic acid) 41.6 mg (46.22%)
Total dietary Fiber 6.4 g (16.84%)
Carbohydrate 15.27 g (11.75%)
Copper, Cu 0.105 mg (11.67%)
Manganese, Mn 0.216 mg (9.39%)
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.12 mg (9.23%)
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) 0.429 mg (8.58%)
Potassium, K 297 mg (6.32%)
Iron, Fe 0.46 mg (5.75%)
Phosphorus, P 40 mg (5.71%)
Health Benefits
  • Cancer
  • Improving Appetite
  • Diarrhea and Dysentery
  • Infection
  • Brain health
  • Heart Disease
  • Digestion
  • Diuretic Activity
  • Diabetes
  • Menstrual Cramps
  • Metabolic Activity
  • Aging
  • Calcium Absorption
  • Eye Care
  • Haircare
Calories in 1 cup (150 gm)66 Kcal

Gooseberry Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Phyllanthus emblica

RankScientific Name & (Common Name)
KingdomPlantae (Plants)
SubkingdomTracheobionta (Vascular plants)
SuperdivisionSpermatophyta (Seed plants)
DivisionMagnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
ClassMagnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
SubclassRosidae
OrderEuphorbiales
FamilyEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
GenusPhyllanthus L. (Leafflower)
SpeciesPhyllanthus emblica L. (Emblic)
Synonyms
  • Cicca emblica (L.) Kurz
  • Diasperus emblica (L.) Kuntze
  • Dichelactina nodicaulis Hance
  • Emblica arborea Raf.
  • Emblica officinalis Gaertn.
  • Mirobalanus embilica Burm.
  • Phyllanthus glomeratus Roxb.
  • Phyllanthus glomeratus Roxb. ex Benth.
  • Phyllanthus glomeratus Roxb. ex Wall.
  • Phyllanthus mairei H.Lév.
  • Phyllanthus mimosifolius Salisb.
  • Phyllanthus taxifolius D.Don