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guar
Scientific Name: Cyamopsis tetragonoloba
Family: Fabaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba)
The guar, also known as cluster bean, is an annual legume valued as the source of guar gum. It is also referred to as Gavar, Guwar, or Guvar bean.
Considerations for Pets
- Guar gum is primarily the ground endosperm of guar beans, typically produced as a free-flowing, off-white powder.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub
- Common Names: Guar, cluster bean, Gavar, Guwar, Guvar bean
- Family: Legume (Pea) Family
- Synonyms: Cyamopsis tetragonolobus
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to dry regions of Africa and Asia, particularly India and Pakistan.
- Introduced to the United States from India in 1903.
- Cultivated in warm, semiarid regions, especially in South Asia.
Ecological Role
- It is a drought-tolerant annual legume.
- Farmers may substitute guar crops for more lucrative options.
Morphological Characteristics
- Guar gum is extracted from the seed of the leguminous shrub Cyamopsis tetragonoloba.
- Guar seeds are dehusked, milled, and screened to obtain the guar gum.
Uses
- The primary use is as a source of guar gum.
- Guar gum is used as a food additive for thickening and emulsifying, e.g., in ice cream.
- Used in hydraulic fracturing fluid.
- Used as a food stabiliser, mineral coagulant in mining, and animal feed.
- Used as a binder.
Quirky Facts
- Guar has experienced a surge in demand from the oil and gas drilling industry.
- Guar seed prices have seen significant fluctuations, including a ban on futures trading after a sharp price rally.
Further Resources
- WebMD: Patient medical information for GUAR GUM
- Sigma-Aldrich: Offers Guar (Sigma-G4129) for research needs
- Texas A&M AgriLife, Lubbock, Texas: Guar research field
- Collins English Dictionary: Definition of “guar gum”