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3. Terminalia chebula Rciz., Obs. 5: 31. 1789. (Fig. 116).
COMBRETACEAE
Terminalia reticulata Roth.—Terminalia aruta Ham.—Myrobalanus chebula Gaertn.—
Embryogonia arborea Teys. and Binn.
Engl. Chcbulic Myrobalan; Sinh. ATalu; Tarn. Amagola, Arabi, Aridadi, At tan,
Kadil, Kadukkay, Kagodagasingi, Nechi, Pattiyanj, Piradamai, Seya, Sidegi, Singi, Si rot tarn,
Sittilai, Siva, Sivandi, Taduvairi, Tuvarchigai, Urugini, Vayadaram; Hindi Har, Harara, Harra;
Sans. Abhaya, Amogha, Amruta, Avyatha, Balya, Bhishagvara, Bhishakpriya, Chctaki,
Chetamaki, Devi, Divya, Girija, Haimavati, Haritaki, Himaja, Jaya, Jivanika, Jivanti, Jivapriya,
J ivy a, Karkatakasringi, Kayastha, Nandini, Pachani, Panjarasa, Pathya, Pramatha, Pranada;
Prapathya, Putana, Rasayanaphala, Reshaki, Rohini, Rudrapriya, Shaka, Shakrasrishta, Shiva',
Shreyasi, Sudha, Sudhodbhava, Triphala, Vanatikta, Vayastha, Vijaya.
A moderate-sized tree with a very thick, grey-brown bark, crooked trunk and many
spreading branches drooping at the extremities and pubescent young parts; leaves simple,
alternate without stipules, 7.5—12.5 cm long, broadly oblong-oval, rounded or cordate at
base, very obtuse at apex, pubescent on both sides especially when young, thick and rigid; petioles
I—2 cm long, pubescent with 2 prominent glands at the top just beneath the leaf; flowers
small, regular, bisexual, greenish-white, nearly sessile, numerous in terminal spikes or from the
axils of the uppermost leaves; bracts linear, hairy, conspicuous in bud; calyx-tube adnate to ovary,
limbs 5, free, cam pa nutate, glabrous outside with long hairs within; petals absent; stamens 10,
the longer ones inserted on the calyx-tube outside an annular, epigynous, hairy disc;
ovary inferior, unilocular with 2 pendulous ovules; fruit a pendulous drupe, 2—4 cm,long,
broadly ovoid, glabrous, not angled, yellowish green; stone oblong, bony, very thick, obscurely
angled; seed solitary, in a very small cavity without endosperm.
Flowers during April.
Illustrations. Roxburgh, PI. Corom. 2: pi. 197. 1798; Bcddomc, Flor. Sylvat. 1: pi. 27.
1868—73; Kirtikar and Basu, Indian Med. PI. pi. 413. 1933; Herb. Peradeniya, drawing.
Distribution. Grows in India, Burma, Ceylon and Malay Peninsula. In Ceylon, it is
rather rare in the dry districts of the low-country up to 2500 feet altitude. It is gregarious and
abundant in certain areas such as Bibile, Galoya, Batticaloa, Nilgala, etc.
India. Chota Nagporc: C/ar*e 20437/4, Oct. 1873. Calcutta: Wallich 3967£. Siwalik
and Jaunsar Div., Kaluwala, De, April 1929. Canara: Yellapore, Talbot, 1882. Pen. Ind. Or.,
Herb. Wight 1011, Kew Distribution 1866—7. Ceylon. Thwaites CP. 1604; Central Prov.,
Huluganga near Panwila, Herb. Peradeniya, April 1886; Uva Prov., between Passara and
Lu'nugala, Herb. Peradeniya Jan. 1888.
Composition. The fruits contain a mixture of gallic acid and tannic acid, apparently
derived from an organic acid, chebulinic acid; they contain, also,a greenish oleo-rcsin which is
termed myrobalanin.
Uses. The bark possesses diuretic and cardio-tonic properties. The pericarp of the dry
fruit in decoction is a good purgative. It is finely powdered and used as a dentifrice useful for
carious teeth, bleeding and ulceration of the gums. Along with other drugs, it is used in fever,
all diseases of the eye, piles and 80 types of dropsy. The ashes of the fruit mixed with butter
form a good ointment for sores. The roasted powder of the fruit given with milk is an excellent
remedy for chronic dysentery. Regular use of the powder with king-coconut water is
supposed to improve the complexion.
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