Systematic reinstatement of highly sacred based on differences in morphology and DNA barcoding from (Moraceae).

is considered as native to India and is well-known for the peculiarity in nature of its cup-shaped leaves where both the vernacular name (Krishna Fig) and specific epithet were derived. The taxonomic status of is still unclear and currently treated as a subspecies or variety under . In the present study, morphological characters and molecular analysis were employed to address their species delimitation. The spacer markers ITS2 and were used for constructing phylogenetic trees along with morphometric analysis. distinctly differs from by having cup-forming leaves and the nature of the aerial roots, stipules, petioles, ostiolar bracts of the receptacle, DNA content, chromosome differences and nodal anatomy. The results showed that the highest divergence is observed in (20.8 ± 12.2), followed by ITS2 (5.7 ± 3.2). The phylogenetic tree construction using Bayesian analysis showed a divergent boundary between the two species suggesting that could be an independent species, not a variety of . The present study's findings support the view that these two floras can be treated as different species.