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Balloon Vine
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Balloon Vine
ative Photo: Prashant Awale
Common name: Balloon Vine, Love-in-a-puff, heart pea, heartseed • Assamese: কপাল ফুটা লতা kapaal phuta lata • Hindi: कानफूटा kanphuta, कपालफोड़ी kapalphodi • Kannada: ಅಗ್ನಿಬಳ್ಳಿ agniballi, ಬೆಕ್ಕಿನ ಬುಡ್ಡೆ ಗಿಡ bekkina budde gida, ಬೆಕ್ಕಿನ ತೊಡ್ಡಿನ ಬಳ್ಳಿ bekkina toddina balli, ಚಿಟಕಿ ಹಂಬು chitaki hambu, ಎರುಂಬಳ್ಳಿ erumballi, ಜೋತಿಷ್ಮತಿ jotishmati, ಕನಕಾಯ kanakaaya, ಮಿಂಚುಬಳ್ಳಿ minchuballi, ಕಂಗುಂಗೆ Kangunge, ಕಂಗೊಂಗೆ Kangonge, ಬುಡ್ಡಕಾಕರತೀಗೆ Buddakaakarateege • Konkani: कानफुटी kanphuti, कपाळ फोडी kapala phodi • Malayalam: ജ്യോതിഷ്‌മതി jyotishmati, കറുത്തകുന്നി karuttakunni, പാലുരുവം paluruvam, ഉഴിഞ്ഞ uzhinja • Manipuri: ꯄꯣꯛꯂꯥꯑꯣꯕꯤ Poklaobi • Marathi: कानफुटी kanphuti, कपाळ फोडी kapal phodi • Nepali: ज्योतिष्मती jyotishmati, कपाल फोडी kapaal phodi, केश लहरा kesh lahara • Odia: ଜ୍ଯୋତିଷ୍ମତୀ jyotishmati, ଫୁଟୁ ଫୁଟୁକା phutu phutuka • Sanskrit: कर्णस्फोटा karnasphota, स्फुटवल्कली sphutavalkali • Tamil: கொற்றவன் korravan, முடக்கொற்றான் mutakkorran • Telugu: బుడ్డకాకర buddakakara, జ్యోతిష్మతి jyotishmati • Tibetan: ཀ་ཀེ་ད ka ke da • Tulu: ಉರುಂಡೆ ಬೂರು urunde booru Source: Names of Plants in India
Botanical name: Cardiospermum halicacabum    Family: Sapindaceae (Soapberry family)

Balloon Vine is a woody perennial vine distributed almost globally in the tropics. It is a fast growing vine up to 10 feet. Leaves are trifoliate, up to 4 inches long, with highly lobed leaflets. The plant climb with tendrils and needs some form of support. The small white flowers bloom from summer through fall, flowers are not very showy. The fruit is more interesting, from which the plant gets its common name. It is a brown, thin-shelled, inflated angled capsule up to 3 cm across, containing 3 black seeds each, with a white heart-shaped scar.

Identification credit: Prashant Awale Photographed in Maharashtra & Delhi.

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