Terminalia chebula, commonly known as black- or chebulic myrobalan,^[2] is a species of Terminalia, native to South Asia from India and Nepal east to southwest China (Yunnan), and south to Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Vietnam.^[2][3]

In India, it is known as “Harad” in Hindi and Urdu, “Kadukkai” in Tamil, “Hirada” in Marathi, “Hilikha” in Assamese and “Horitoky” in Bengali.

Terminalia chebula is a medium to large deciduous tree growing to 30 m (98 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in diameter. The leaves are alternate to subopposite in arrangement, oval, 7–8 cm (2.8–3.1 in) long and 4.5–10 cm (1.8–3.9 in) broad with a 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) petiole.^[3] They have an acute tip, cordate at the base, margins entire, glabrous above with a yellowish pubescence below.^{[citation needed]} The fruit is drupe-like, 2–4.5 cm (0.79–1.77 in) long and 1.2–2.5 cm (0.47–0.98 in) broad, blackish, with five longitudinal ridges.^[3] The dull white to yellow flowers are monoecious, and have a strong, unpleasant odour. They are borne in terminal spikes or short panicles. The fruits are smooth ellipsoid to ovoid drupes, yellow to orange-brown in colour, with a single angled stone.