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Exudate Gums

Habitat and distribution
Acacia catechu is widely distributed throughout the greater part of India and not found in
most humid, cold and the driest regions. It is common in the sub-Himalayan tract and outer
Himalayas ascending from 900 to 1,200 m from Jammu to Assam.
Eastern slopes of Western Ghats, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra
Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Himalayas upto an
elevation of 1,500m
Description
Acacia catechu is a moderate deciduous tree. It bears light crown with crooked branches.
Branchlets are dark brown, glabrous, slender and thorny. Bark is dark brown or dark grey;
brown or red inside and exfoliating in nature with long narrow rectangular flakes usually
remain hanging on the tree. Branchlets have hooked short spines in pairs below the petioles.
Leaves are bipinnately compound. Leaf fall occurs in January to April. Flowers are pale
yellow, sessile in peduncle axillary spikes. The flowers appear when tree bears new leaves.
Trees continue to flower until July or August. Pods are strap-shaped, thin, straight, flat and
tapering at both ends glabrous. Pods develop quickly, becoming full size by September or
October. Initially pods are green turning to reddish-green and then brown after maturity.
Pods begin to ripen by the end of November through to early January. Seeds are broadly
ovoid, shiny and brown in colour. ‘Kath’ or ‘Cutch’ is extracted from the wood which has a
huge demand in masticatory use for pan preparations.

Flowering: July - August
Fruiting: August - December

Varieties
Mainly three forms are found in India
Acacia catechu var. catechu – This variety found mainly in Punjab, Garhwal and Kumaon,
Bihar and Orissa. Found upto 900-1200 m elevation in the sub-Himalayan tract and the
outer Himalayas
Acacia catechu var. catechuoides – This variety located mainly in Sikkim terai, West Bengal
and Assam. This is the Burmese form.
Acacia catechu var. sundra – This variety found mainly in the Indian Peninsula region. This is
southern and western form occurring in the Deccan, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Gum Uses
The gum from khair is said to be of very good quality and is regarded as the best substitute
for true gum arabic. The tears may be as large as 3 cm in diameter and pale yellow to dark
amber in colour. It is used in mastictories and hair dyes. It is not collected separately and is
generally mixed up with other Acacia gums.

Major gum and resin plants of India 57