GAZ, common term in Persian for several species of the genera Tamarix (desert trees) and Astragalus (spiny shrubs of gavan); also the name of a confection made with the sweet exudate (gaz-angobīn) produced on Astragalus. This article deals only with the exudate found on A. adscendens Boiss. and Haussk. and the candy made from it.
For tragacanth, an important product of other species of Astragalus, see KATĪRĀ. On the sweetish manna found on some oaks (Quercus mannifera) and called gaz-e ʿalafī, see BALŪṬ.