Guar bean, Clusterbean
Cyamopsis tetragonolobus

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

A herb. It is an upright bushy plant often only 1 m high. Some kinds grow 3 m high. The branches are stiff and usually with white hairs. The branches stick upwards and are angled and with grooves. The leaves are produced alternately and have 3 leaflets. The leaflets are oval and with slight saw teeth around the edge. The leaf stalks have grooves. The flowers are small in clusters in the axils of leaves. The flowers are white with pink wings. It produces clusters of thick fleshy pods. They are stiff and straight. There is a double ridge along the top of the pod and a single one below. There are also 2 ridges along the flat sides. The pods have a beak at the end. There are 8-10 small oval seeds inside.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It is a hardy, drought resistant plant. It suits dry areas. It grows well on alluvial and sandy soils. It grows well in areas with high summer temperatures and low rainfall. It can tolerate an alkaline soil with pH 7.5-8. In Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, China, Congo DR, East Africa, Ethiopia, Fiji, Himalayas, India (country/location of origin), Indochina, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Mali, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad-Tobago, USA, Vietnam, Yemen, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The green immature pods are eaten cooked. They are added to curries. They can be fried in oil, salted or dried for later use. The seeds are eaten. The seeds contain a gum used as a thickening agent. It is used in ice cream, baked goods, gluten free foods and salad dressing. The sprouted seeds are also eaten.

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. This bean has only been tried in small trial plots in Papua New Guinea.

Edible parts

Fruit, leaves, shoots, pods, seeds, gum, vegetable

How it is grown

They are grown from seed. Often they are grown in mixed cropping situations. It requires 15-24 kg of seed to sow a hectare. Seeds are sown 2-3 cm deep. They are often put 20-30 cm apart in rows 65 cm apart. Seed germinate within one week.

Plants mature in 3 to 3.5 months.

Its other names

Local names

Bakuchi, Bavachi gowar, Calcutta-lucerne, Dridhabija, Gawar, Goraksha, Gorani, Gorchikuda, Gorikayi, Gowar, Guar, Guwar, Gwaar ki phalli, Jhuppe simi, Kothaveray, Kulti, Kuwara, Pe-pazun, Pe-wali, Phalini, Siam-bean

Synonyms

Cyamopsis psoralioides (Lam.) DC; Dolichos psoraloides Lam.; Psoralea tetragonoloba L.; and others