kita daru

The plant has both edible and medicinal usages for the Birhor community.

Medicinal values for: respiratory diseases and fevers, diarrhoea

• Fruit: The fruits (dʒo) are used for treatment of respiratory diseases and fevers (rua).
• The tree yields a gum that is used in treating diarrhoea.

Other uses:

• Fruit: The fruit (dʒo) are often dried (rohoɽ) and then eaten raw (berel) or used to add sweetness to a variety of food or sweet dishes prepared on special occasions.
• The sap of the tree is tapped which can be drunk fresh. It is called taɽi and when mildly fermented it is a popular intoxicating drink.*
• Wood: The Birhor use the wood (sahan) of kita daru as firewood (dʒul-raʔ sahan).