Fruiting body with seed removed, Emblica officianalis (formerly Phyllanthus emblica), amlaki, Indian gooseberry. Amla, or Indian gooseberry, is the fruit of a small to medium-sized deciduous tree native to India. The berries-which are light greenish yellow, with a fibrous inner texture and a sour, bitter, astringent taste-ripen and are harvested by hand in the fall. In Hinduism, the amla tree is considered sacred to the goddess Lakshmi. A much-beloved staple of traditional Ayurvedic medicine, amla is considered a cooling pitta herb and is believed to benefit the emotional heart as well as the physical heart and body, bestowing long life, happiness and luck in love.