FoI
Guar
Share Foto info
Guar
ative Photo: Dinesh Valke
Common name: Guar, Cluster Bean, Calcutta lucerne, Guar, Guar bean, Gum bean, Siam bean • Bengali: ঝার শিম Jhar sim • Gujarati: ગવાર Gavar, ગુવાર Guvar • Hindi: गवार gawar, गुवार Guwar, गुआर Guaar, गोआर Goaar • Kannada: ಗೋರಿ ಕಾಯಿ Gori kaayi, ಚವಳಿ Chavali, ಜವಳಿ Javali, ಗೋವರ್ಧನ Govardhana • Konkani: मिडकीसांग Midkisaang • Malayalam: Kothavara • Marathi: बावची Bavachi, चिटकी Chitaki, गवार Gavar, गवारी Gavari, गोवारी Govari • Punjabi: ਕੌਡ਼ਾ ਕਸੈਲਾ Kaura kasaila, ਫਲੀ ਗੁਆਰ Phali guar, ਸਫੈਦ ਮੋਠ Safaid moth • Oriya: Guanra chhuim, Shimba • Sanskrit: बाकुची Bakuchi, दृढबिज Dridhabija, गोरक्षफलिनी Gorakshaphalini, क्षुद्रशिम्बी Kshudrashimbi, वक्रशिम्बी Vakrashimbi • Tamil: கொத்தவரை Kottavarai • Telugu: గోరుచిక్కుడుకాయ Goru-chikkudu-kaya
Botanical name: Cyamopsis tetragonoloba    Family: Fabaceae (Pea family)
Synonyms: Cyamopsis psoraloides, Dolichos fabæformis, Dolichos psoraloides, Psoralea tetragonoloba
The guar bean or cluster bean is an annual legume and the source of guar gum. A bushy, upright herb reaching up to 3 m in height. It has a vigorous root system. The stiff branches have white hairs and trifoliate leaves. The flowers are white or pink and the pods are straight, hairy, pale green and up to 10 cm long. It is grown for gum production. The young tender pods can be eaten as vegetables and the seeds are used as livestock feed. The plant is also grown as a green manure or used as fodder. Seed flour is used to improve the strength of paper and stamps or in textile sizing and as a thickener in ice creams and salad dressings. A water-soluble natural resin is also obtained from the seeds and is used in the food, paper, mining and petroleum industries.
Identification credit: Dinesh Valke Photographed at Rajguru Nagar, Pune.
• Is this flower misidentified? If yes,