Young leaves and sprouts edible - raw or cooked. The gum obtained from the trunk is often used in confectionery. The powdered bark is used as a flavouring. The bark and the leaves are used as medicine. The plant can be grown as a hedge. The bark contains tannins. A soluble resin, called 'Jingan gum' is obtained from the stems.  It is used for calico printing; as a size for paper; for mixing with lime when whitewashing; protecting nets etc. The gum is of inferior quality. The bark yields a coarse cordage fibre. Wood is used for spear shafts, scabbards, wheel-spokes, oil presses, grain pounders etc.

Deciduous trees, to 25 m high, bark surface grey to dark brown, rough; exudation gummy, red. Leaves imparipinnate, alternate, clustered at the end of branchlets; leaflets 7-11, opposite; lamina 5-12 x 3-8 cm, oblong, oblong-ovate, margin entire. Flowers unisexual, yellowish-green; male flowers: in compound racemes; calyx 4-lobed; lobes ovate, imbricate; petals 4, lanceolate, reflexed, imbricate; disc annular, 8-lobed; stamens 8, inserted below the disc, filaments unequal, ovary abortive; female flowers : in simple racemes; petals and sepals as in male flowers; stamens very short and small; anthers sterile; ovary superior, ovule pendulous from near the top of the cell.; styles 4; stigma peltate. Fruit a drupe, 12 mm long, ovoid, red; stone hard; seed compressed.