This may be the correct name for the close southern relative of alba that has been widely grown for silk worms, and often known instead as M. australis Poir, (Rao & Jarvis 1986, Nepal & Purintun 2021, Yang et al. 2023; see also A.T. Whittemore in Y and Flora of China 5: 25)). Taxonomy and nomenclature remain uncertain Morus indica sensu lato is a largely subtropical species with relatively long connate styles that appears to intergrade with alba. Intermediate plants may include M. alba var. multicaulis (Perr.) Loudon and M. alba forma macrophylla (Loud.) C. K. Schneid. Some juvenile forms in this complex have 3-5+ unusually deep linear leaf lobes, and have been treated as M. alba forma skeletoniana (C. K. Schneid.) Rehder or M. australis var. linearipartita Z. Y. Cao or other names. Such deeply lobed plants have recently been named "Morus indica Macé ex. Seringe" and reported as naturalized in Ala. by Barger et al. (2023), citing two vegetative colls. made in 2022. There is a similar coll. made in 2015 from Maryland (D. Hall at MARY). In Ky., E.W. Chester has made another recent coll. from TRIG (in LBL on shore near US 68, ca 36.774503, -88.108710; in processing at APSC). There are also many recent reports of "Morus indica" from across southern states on iNaturalist.org (and see W), but none of the reports from Ky. are reliable. Given that no verified flowering or fruiting colls. of indica are yet known from Ky. or nearby states, treatment of this material remans tentative.