Lesser balloon vine | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Sapindaceae |
Genus: | Cardiospermum |
Species: | C. halicacabum |
Binomial name | |
Cardiospermum halicacabum | |
Cardiospermum halicacabum, known as the lesser balloon vine, balloon plant or love in a puff, is a climbing plant widely distributed across tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Australia, South Asia and North America that is often found as a weed along roads and rivers. [1] [2] [3] [4]
The 1889 book The Useful Native Plants of Australia records that other common names for Cardiospermum halicacabum were "heart seed", "heart pea", or "winter cherry". It is one among the "Ten Sacred Flowers of Kerala", collectively known as dasapushpam .
The generic name Cardiospermum, which translates to "heart seeds", was given due to its large, black seeds, the white mark of which is reminiscent of a stylized heart. The specific epithet halicacabum comes from the Greek word for salt barrel and refers to the inflated fruits, after which the common name balloon vine is derived.
Mudakathan (முடகத்தான்) in Tamil means "clears rheumatism".
The balloon vine is a strongly overgrown, perennial herbaceous climbing plant that can even become lignified at the base. Growing over 10 meters high, [5] it can bloom at a height of around 25 cm. The slender, grooved stems are hairy bald to sparsely downy.
The 5 to 6 cm long, triangular foliage leaves distributed on the stem are divided into a petiole and pinnate leaf blade. The petiole is (0.5 to) 1.5 to 3.5 cm long and the rachis is 0.4 to 2 cm long. The opposite leaflets are 1 to 2 cm long and the terminal leaflets are 4 to 6 cm long. The leaf margins are serrated. The stipules are reduced to tiny, early-falling scales. On the side of a 5 to 9 cm long, sparsely downy hairy inflorescence stem, there are two 1 mm long bracts, two circularly rolled tendrils and three to seven flowers in a zymous inflorescence.
The functionally unisexual flowers are zygomorphic and fourfold double perianth. Of the four free, concave, durable sepals, the outer two are circular, 2 mm long and ciliate, while the inner two are oblong-ovate, 3 to 4 mm long and glabrous. The four white to yellowish petals are obovate and about 3 mm long, the upper two are each adorned with woolly scales and the lower two have large, leaf-shaped scales and two glands.
In the male flowers are two circles with four free stamens each and rudimentary stamps present. The compressed stamens are hairy and about 2 mm long and the anthers are about 0.5 mm long. In the female flowers are obovate, 2 to 3 mm long and hairy, insulated draft tube ovary with a short fluffy hairy stylus, which ends in a three-part scar and eight staminodes present. [6]
The conspicuous, membranous, almost spherical or broad pear-shaped capsule fruits have a diameter of 3 to 5 cm, initially fluffy hairy, light green "balloons" brown when ripe. There is only one seed in each of the three fruit chambers. A noticeable feature of the individual seeds is a large, light heart-shaped spot on the otherwise almost black seed. The kidney-shaped seeds have a diameter of about 6 mm and at their base a white, heart-shaped aril about 5 mm wide. [7]
Cardiospermum grandiflorum , being very similar to C. halicacabum, is a large growing, semi-woody perennial, whereas C. halicacabum is smaller in size, less woody and usual an annual plant. C. grandiflorum also features larger fruit than the more close-packed fruit of C. halicacabum. A kidney-shaped hilum exists on C. halicacabum seeds and a round hilum on C. grandiflorum seeds. Furthermore, the leaves and stems of C. grandiflorum have small reddish hairs that lack in C. halicacabum. Lastly, C. grandiflorum has larger flowers than those of C. halicacabum. [8]
The 1989 book records that “The root is diuretic and demulcent. It is mucilaginous, but has a nauseous taste, and is used to treat rheumatism. [9] Sanskrit writers describe the root as emetic, laxative, stomachic, and rubefacient; they prescribe it in rheumatism, nervous diseases, piles, etc. The leaves are used in amenorrhoea. Rheede says that on the Malabar coast the leaves are administered for pulmonic complaints. It is also used in homeopathy to treat eczematic skin. For this purpose, a mother tincture is made from the flowering parts of the plant. This is also processed into creams and ointments. The green parts of the plant are eaten as vegetables.
According to Ainslie, the root is considered laxative, and is given in dosages of half a cupful twice daily. “It would appear that in rheumatism the Hindus [sic.] administer the leaves internally rubbed up with castor-oil, and also apply a paste, made with them, externally; a similar external application is used to reduce swellings and tumours of various kinds.” (Dymock.) [3]
Its ingredients include triterpene saponins, halicaric acid, catechin tannins, terpenes, phytosterols, flavonoids and quebrachitol.
In New Zealand it is listed on the National Pest Plant Accord which identifies pest plants that are prohibited from commercial propagation and distribution. In Bermuda it is listed as a Category 1 Invasive Plant by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. [4] Within the United States, four southern states (Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Texas) have all placed this plant on their individual noxious weed lists. [2] It is a noxious weed in New South Wales, Australia, where it should be controlled according to the measures specified in a management program published by the local control authority and it must not be sold in some local government areas in the state. [10]
Leucospermum commonly known as pincushions, is a genus of evergreen upright, sometimes creeping shrubs that is assigned to the Proteaceae, with currently 48 known species.
Ziziphus mauritiana, also known as Indian jujube, Indian plum, Chinese date, Chinee apple, ber and dunks is a tropical fruit tree species belonging to the family Rhamnaceae. It is often confused with the closely related Chinese jujube, but whereas Z. jujuba prefers temperate climates, Z. mauritiana is tropical to subtropical.
Pachypodium brevicaule is a species of plant that belongs to the family Apocynaceae.
Schinus terebinthifolia is a species of flowering plant in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to subtropical and tropical South America. Common names include Brazilian peppertree, aroeira, rose pepper, broadleaved pepper tree, wilelaiki, Christmasberry tree and Florida holly. The species name has been very commonly misspelled as ‘terebinthifolius’.
Calystegia sepium is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae. It has a subcosmopolitan distribution throughout temperate regions of the North and South hemispheres.
Cardamine hirsuta, commonly called hairy bittercress, is an annual or biennial species of plant in the family Brassicaceae, and is edible as a salad green. It is common in moist areas around the world.
Salpichroa origanifolia is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family known by the common names lily of the valley vine, pampas lily-of-the-valley or cock's-eggs.
Ipomoea cairica is a vining, herbaceous, perennial plant with palmate leaves and large, showy white to lavender flowers. A species of morning glory, it has many common names, including mile-a-minute vine, Messina creeper, Cairo morning glory, coast morning glory and railroad creeper. The species name cairica translates to "from Cairo", the city where this species was first collected.
Momordica balsamina is a tendril-bearing annual vine native to the tropical regions of Africa, introduced and invasive in Asia, Australia, Central America, and North America, where they have been found in some parts of Florida. In 1810, Thomas Jefferson planted this vine in his flower borders at Monticello along with larkspur, poppies, and nutmeg.
Murraya paniculata, commonly known as orange jasmine, orange jessamine, china box or mock orange, is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rutaceae and is native to South Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia. It has smooth bark, pinnate leaves with up to seven egg-shaped to elliptical leaflets, fragrant white or cream-coloured flowers and oval, orange-red berries containing hairy seeds.
Epimedium grandiflorum, the large flowered barrenwort, or bishop's hat, is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to Japan and Korea.
Cardiospermum is a genus of approximately 14 species in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, which are native to the American, Indian, and African tropics. The genus name is derived from the Greek words καρδία, meaning "heart," and σπέρμα, meaning "seed." Common names of the members of this genus include balloon vine, love in a puff, heartseed, and heartseed vine. These plants are classified as invasive species in parts of the Southern United States and South Africa.
Ipomoea coccinea is a flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae known by several common names including red morning glory, redstar and (ambiguously) Mexican morning glory.
Aristolochia praevenosa, synonym Pararistolochia praevenosa, is an Australian plant in the birthwort family, native to Queensland and New South Wales. The Richmond birdwing butterfly vine grows in subtropical rainforest in coastal areas north from Wollongbar, in far north eastern New South Wales and adjacent areas in south eastern Queensland. It has been recorded as far north as the Mary River. It also grows in tropical north eastern Queensland, where it is a food plant for the Cairns birdwing butterfly.
Senna italica, the Port Royal senna, Italian senna, or Senegal senna is a legume tree in the genus Senna. It is recognized by many other common names based on the regions it grows in. In India, it is used to produce a powder for treating hair-related diseases which is known as “neutral henna”. Whereas, in some parts of the world, this species is cultivated for the leaves which yield the drug senna, known commonly as Senna glycoside, which in turn is the base for a laxative. Senegal senna is easily distinguishable through its many distinctive features. There are 3 subspecies of this plant based on the size of the inflorescence and the length of the petiole. The subspecies are italica, micrantha, and arachoides. In many regions, this plant is cultivated commercially and medicinally.
Solanum macrocarpon otherwise known as the African eggplant : añara), Surinamese eggplant or Vietnamese eggplant is a plant of the family Solanaceae. S. macrocarpon is a tropical perennial plant that is closely related to the eggplant. S. macrocarpon originated from West Africa, but is now widely distributed in Central and East Africa. The plant also grows in the Caribbean, South America, and some parts of Southeast Asia. S. macrocarpon is widely cultivated for its use as a food, its medicinal purposes, and as an ornamental plant.
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Cardiospermum grandiflorum, commonly known as showy balloonvine, heart pea or heart seed, is a species of climbing plant native to eastern Argentina and Brazil.
Leucospermum grandiflorum is an evergreen, upright shrub of up to 2½ m high that is assigned to the family Proteaceae. It has elliptic, greyish green, softly hairy leaves and initially egg-shaped heads with yellow flowers, later flatter with flowers turning orange. From the center of each flower emerges a long pale yellow style with a pink thickened tip that is bent slightly clockwise, giving the entire head the appearance of a pincushion. Its flowers can be found between July and December. It is called grey-leaf fountain-pincushion or rainbow pincushion in English. L. grandiflorum is an endemic species that can only be found in nature in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
Getonia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Combretaceae. The only species is Getonia floribunda, commonly known as ukshi. Its native range is India, Assam to Peninsula Malaysia.
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