A large much branched shrub or small tree, upto 3(4) m tall. Trunk and branches without aerial roots, bark grey or brownish-grey, young shoots reddish-brown, puberulous to glabrescent. Leaves with 5-20 (-30) mm long, ± hairy to glabrous petiole; lamina variable, broadly ovate to orbicular, (2.5-) 3-7.5 (-8.5) and broad, 3-5-costate at the cordate to truncate base, palmately deeply, 3-5-lobes narrow to broadly oblong, 1.543 cm long, 24 cm broad, dentate serrate to shallowly incised, slightly hairy to glabrescent-scabrous beneath, scabrid above; stipules lanceolate, 8-10 mm long, purplish, puberulous. Hypanthodia axillary, solitary, borne on 1-1.5 (-2) cm long, puberulous, peduncles, pyriform to subglobose, 1-1.5 (-2) cm long, 10-12 mm in diam., minutely puberulous, sessile to stipitate, stipe upto 5 mm long; subtended by 3 bracts, apical orifice wide surrounded by several bracts. Male ostiolar, pedicellate; sepals whitish, 4.5, thin, free, stamens 2. Female numerous, subsessile; sepals 5, free; ovary ± triangular, style long, stigma bifid. Figs pale-purple, pyriform to globose, c. 10-12 mm in diem., puberulous to glabrous.

Fl. & Fr. Per. : May-Aug.

Syntypes: S.W. Iran, Kotschy 91 (B, E, H); 91a (E, H, JE).

Distribution: Iran, Pakistan (Baluchistan, Sind) and Afghanistan.

Browicz l.c. discussed the variation in Ficus carica, Ficus johannis and Ficus palmate complex. In our area Ficus johannis seems to be confined to Baluchistan province with geographical overlapping in Northern Baluchistan (Zohb Dist.) where Ficus palmate also occurs. Two subspecies viz. ssp. Johannis and ssp. Afghanica (Warb.) Browicz have been recognized on the basis of size and lobing of leaves and petiole length. Our material, however, belongs to ssp. Johannis.

The fruit is eaten and the plants are grazed by goats, sheep, camels. white milk is used for turning milk into cheese.