Phyllanthus emblica (Emblica officinalis), or aamla, is a deciduous tree of the Phyllanthaceae family. This tree also known as Indian gooseberry.
It is known for its edible fruit of the same name. The tree is small to medium in size, reaching 8 to 18 m in height, with a crooked trunk and spreading branches. The branchlets are glabrous or finely pubescent, 10–20 cm long, usually deciduous; the leaves are simple, subsessile and closely set along branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves. The flowers are greenish-yellow. The fruit are nearly spherical, light greenish yellow, quite smooth and hard on appearance, with six vertical stripes or furrows.
The name of the state of Melaka actually came from the tree. Melaka tree is a common species in South East Asia and India but look like India is the largest to consume it’s fruits.
Their reasoning was that the local inhabitants at the time were fond of naming places after plants or trees such as Bachang, Pokok Mangga, Bukit Rambai, Pulai, Alai, Bertam, Pengkalan Kempas, Kundang and others. The Melaka tree was then also growing in abundance along the banks of Air Lereh.
