Biosystematic Studies, Distribution and Conservation Status of Guaiacum officinale L. in Karnataka State

Abstract

Guaiacum L. is an evergreen tree indigenous to South America, West Indies and USA. It was introduced during British period. The stem is hard, abundant resin wood, ash- grey-green bark and paripinnate leaves. The flowers are blue-purple in colour and occur in axillary clusters. The fruit is a capsule. Anomocytic, Paracytic and tertacytic types of stomata present only on abaxial surface of the leaf, trichomes absent on both surface. Pollen monad, radialy sysmmetric, tricolporate. The secondary veins are joined to form a loop at the margin. Phenolic test, alkaloid test etc. gave positive results. This plant is having commercial as well as medicinal value. In Karnataka state this plant found only in two places, one in Lalbagh, Bangalore and another in Karnataka College, Dharwad. Silviculture experiments were conducted but not succeeded. In both the places flowers are many, but fruit setting is negligible. It inhibits the spreading of the species in Karnataka.