Plants & People: The Intersection of Botany and Human Experience

The Wonder Berry : Phyllanthus emblica

Nomenclature

Phyllanthus emblica was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his book, “Species Plantarum”, written in 1753. The holotype for Phyllanthus emblica was incorrectly determined in 2003, as the collection lacked the relevant number correlating it to “Species Plantarum”, and was a post-1753 addition to the herbarium. For these reasons this specimen was determined not to be the original material for the name. However, many other type specimens can be viewed and are primarily stored at the National History Museum of London's Collection Specimens. 

The genus Phyllanthus is part of Phyllanthaceae, or the leafflower family. The word “phyllus” means leaves and the word “anthus” comes from the word flower in Latin. The naming of this genera and family is due to two possibilities : (1.) The habit in which each flower hangs below one leaf or (2.) The petal character of the sepals. However it is more likely that the term leafflower is the fact that the flowers often take on the place of leaves along branches.

The common names for Phyllanthus emblica include : amla, aamlaa, aamalaki, dhataari, emblic myrobalan, Indian Gooseberry, and yu gan zi. The word “amla” and those similar comes from the Sanskrit word  “amla” meaning sour and acidic. “Emblica” could be derived from the word “emblem”, which is a sort of symbol of cultural importance.

Observation History

The fruit of amla has deep ties to Hindu mythology. It is said that when the god Brahma became engrossed within the meditation of Vishnu, the preserver and protector of the universe, they began to cry. In Hindu mythology, it is these tears of a god that fell onto the ground and germinated the first tree on earth, the Amla tree. Art of the amla tree and berry can be dated back to the mid-1800's.

The amla berry has always been revered and respected within Indian South-east Asian culture for its amazing medical properties and spiritual ties. However, the United States didn’t even receive or distribute seeds until the early 1900s. Seeds were sent to public gardens within Florida and experimental stations in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and the Philippines, however the fruits received little to no enthusiasm. It wasn’t until 1945, when the US Office of Foreign Agricultural Relations heard of the amla medicinal properties and great source of vitamin C.

Further research was done to confirm the high level of ascorbic acid within Amla, however research interest at the time was focused on the Barbados cherry which appeared to have higher levels. The amla was quickly forgotten across the US, leaving few old trees around Southern Florida.

Many companies such as the Campbell Soup Company as well as countries such as Australia have requested fruits and trees for research and planting however the true intention of these pursuits have not been revealed.

Evolutionary History

Amla trees are believed to have originated in a large span of South and South-East Asia  including Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and Southern China.

The complete evolutionary history of Phyllanthus emblica can be characterized by phylogenies that map out the genus Phyllanthus. Phyllanthus itself encompasses about 750 species within tropical and subtropical regions. The feather-like and deciduous character of the Amla branchlets are said to closely resemble pinnately compound leaves, especially those within the genus, Parkia from the family, Fabaceae. 

Additionally, studies have gone on to study Amla against differing taxa within Phyllanthus as well as outside of the genus. Catalase, an essential enzyme to Amla’s antioxidant and structural properties, has been found to be most similar to the catalase of soybeans.

Ecology

Amla’s current native range spreads throughout South and Southeast Asia. The shrub is commonly found in India and South China, but also thrives in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Its preferred habitat includes dry to mixed forests, open forests or scrub, and within village groves and along roadsides. They can also be found along hillslopes and thrive in elevations of between 800 to 1500 meters.

The trees can grow up to 12 meters tall and are light-demanding as well as drought resistant. Amla trees are fire resistant as well, and are often the first plants to reappear after a fire.

Amla trees begin flowering between March and May, depending upon the availability of warm temperatures, and then begin fruiting in June through September. However, these trees grow and mature quite slowly, only beginning to fruit when the organism is at least 5-8 years old. The flowers can be wind pollinated or pollinated by an organism such as a bee. Their seeds are dispersed by mammals including humans. What makes the amla berries unique is their ability to retain ripe fruits for several months without risking loss of quality to the fruits or the tree itself.

Vegetative Morphology

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit aliquet. Mauris vitae ultricies leo integer malesuada. Duis convallis convallis tellus id. Lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet risus feugiat in ante. Amet venenatis urna cursus eget nunc. Sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit. Egestas tellus rutrum tellus pellentesque eu. Id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non nisi est sit. Ornare arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam. Vel orci porta non pulvinar neque laoreet. Odio morbi quis commodo odio aenean sed.

Egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec. Viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris. Vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam. Sagittis nisl rhoncus mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra. Mi ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper sit amet. Congue nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Elit eget gravida cum sociis. Suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id. Proin nibh nisl condimentum id. Duis at consectetur lorem donec massa sapien faucibus.

Reproductive Morphology

The flowers of the Amla are small but plentiful, and often cover entire branches of the tree. This habit may be the reflective of the genus, Phyllanthus ( “phyll” = leaf & “anthus” = flower).

The flowers can be greenish-yellow or pink in color and are divided into six distinct segments. The Amla tree is monoecious, meaning it has both male and female flowers existing on one individual. Male flowers are typically located towards the base of the branch and have three stamen, while female flowers grow towards the distal part of the inflorescences and have three styles.

The flowering process begins between March and April, primarily depending upon warmer temperatures. The plant is typically wind or bee pollinated, and fruiting continues through September and October.

Domestication History

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit aliquet. Mauris vitae ultricies leo integer malesuada. Duis convallis convallis tellus id. Lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet risus feugiat in ante. Amet venenatis urna cursus eget nunc. Sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit. Egestas tellus rutrum tellus pellentesque eu. Id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non nisi est sit. Ornare arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam. Vel orci porta non pulvinar neque laoreet. Odio morbi quis commodo odio aenean sed.

Egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec. Viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris. Vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam. Sagittis nisl rhoncus mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra. Mi ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper sit amet. Congue nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Elit eget gravida cum sociis. Suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id. Proin nibh nisl condimentum id. Duis at consectetur lorem donec massa sapien faucibus.

Cultivation Practices

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit aliquet. Mauris vitae ultricies leo integer malesuada. Duis convallis convallis tellus id. Lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet risus feugiat in ante. Amet venenatis urna cursus eget nunc. Sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit. Egestas tellus rutrum tellus pellentesque eu. Id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non nisi est sit. Ornare arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam. Vel orci porta non pulvinar neque laoreet. Odio morbi quis commodo odio aenean sed.

Egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec. Viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris. Vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam. Sagittis nisl rhoncus mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra. Mi ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper sit amet. Congue nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Elit eget gravida cum sociis. Suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id. Proin nibh nisl condimentum id. Duis at consectetur lorem donec massa sapien faucibus.

Nutritional Value

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit aliquet. Mauris vitae ultricies leo integer malesuada. Duis convallis convallis tellus id. Lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet risus feugiat in ante. Amet venenatis urna cursus eget nunc. Sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit. Egestas tellus rutrum tellus pellentesque eu. Id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non nisi est sit. Ornare arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam. Vel orci porta non pulvinar neque laoreet. Odio morbi quis commodo odio aenean sed.

Egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec. Viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris. Vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam. Sagittis nisl rhoncus mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra. Mi ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper sit amet. Congue nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Elit eget gravida cum sociis. Suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id. Proin nibh nisl condimentum id. Duis at consectetur lorem donec massa sapien faucibus.

Human Experience

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget velit aliquet. Mauris vitae ultricies leo integer malesuada. Duis convallis convallis tellus id. Lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet risus feugiat in ante. Amet venenatis urna cursus eget nunc. Sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit. Egestas tellus rutrum tellus pellentesque eu. Id faucibus nisl tincidunt eget nullam non nisi est sit. Ornare arcu odio ut sem nulla pharetra diam. Vel orci porta non pulvinar neque laoreet. Odio morbi quis commodo odio aenean sed.

Egestas egestas fringilla phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec. Viverra orci sagittis eu volutpat odio facilisis mauris. Vel quam elementum pulvinar etiam non quam. Sagittis nisl rhoncus mattis rhoncus urna neque viverra. Mi ipsum faucibus vitae aliquet nec ullamcorper sit amet. Congue nisi vitae suscipit tellus mauris a diam maecenas sed. Elit eget gravida cum sociis. Suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id. Proin nibh nisl condimentum id. Duis at consectetur lorem donec massa sapien faucibus.

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