The guar plant ‘Cyamopsis tetragonalobus’ belongs to the family Leguminosae. Guar Gum is derived from the seeds of the guar plant Guar has been cultivated in India and Pakistan for ages for use of its tender pods as fresh vegetables and other parts of the plant to be used as cattle feed. When in abundance the pods could also be used as cattle feed. Guar grows well in the semi-arid regions of North-Western India and adjoining areas of Pakistan.

Guar is also known to be cultivated in Texas, USA, some parts of South Africa, Malawi etc., Guar Gum is a natural high molecular weight hydro colloidal polysaccharide composed of galactose and mannose combined through glycosidic linkages, which may be described chemically as galactomannan.

The 'Guar' legume plant is extremely drought resistant and thrives in semiarid regions where most plants perish. It grows best in sandy soils, in areas of West, Northwest India and parts of Pakistan which are ideal for it's farming. Jodhpur City in the North Western state of Rajasthan in India is the most important processing centre of Guar Gum and contributes approximately 40% of the world's Guar Gum supply. Guar Gum is not a plant exudates but is the ground endosperm of the Guar plant Guar Gum is a hydro colloidal polysaccharide of high molecular weight. It is composed of galactan and mannan units combined through glycosidic linkages (galactomannan). This is a hardy and drought-resistant plant which grows 1-2 m. high with vertical stalks. The seed pods grow in clusters on the vertical stalks. The pods are about 10-12cm. long and hold six to nine seeds about 2-3 mm. in diameter. Roughly, 14-16% of the seed is the hull, 38-45% represents endosperm, and 40-46% germ.