Herbal amla is a small to medium sized deciduous tree, 8-18 m in height with thin light grey bark exfoliating in small thin irregular flakes; leaves simple, very many, subsessile, closely set along the branchlets, distichous, light green having the appearance of pinnate leaves. Flowers of herbal amla or indian gooseberry are greenish yellow, in axillary fascicles, unisexual, males numerous on short slender pedicels,