Cardiospermum halicacabum

Cardiospermum halicacabum

Lesser balloon vine, balloon plant or love in a puff (Cardiospermum halicacabum L.) is a herbaceous species belonging to the Sapindaceae family.

Systematics –
Domain Eukaryota,
Kingdom Plantae,
Superdivision Spermatophyta,
Division Magnoliophyta,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Subclass Rosidae,
Order Sapindales,
Family Sapindaceae,
Subfamily Sapindoideae,
Tribe Paullinieae,
Genus Cardiospermum,
Species C. halicacabum.
The following terms are synonymous:
– Cardiospermum acuminatum Miq.;
– Cardiospermum corycodes Kunze;
– Cardiospermum glabrum Schumach. & Thonn.;
– Cardiospermum halicacabum var. grandiflorum A.Chev.;
– Cardiospermum halicacabum var. luridum (Blume) Adelb.;
– Cardiospermum inflatum Salisb.;
– Cardiospermum luridum Blume;
– Cardiospermum moniliferum Sw.;
– Cardiospermum moniliferum Sw. ex Steud.;
– Cardiospermum monliferum Schwagr.;
– Cardiospermum monliferum Schwagr. ex Steud.;
– Cardiospermum truncatum A.Rich.;
– Corindum halicacabum (L.) Medik.;
– Physalis corymbosa Noronha;
– Physalis halicacabum Noronha;
– Rhodiola biternata Lour..

Etymology –
The term Cardiospermum comes from the Greek καρδία, cardía, meaning heart, and σπέρμα, spérma, meaning seed, as the dark brown seeds have a whitish, heart-shaped spot.
The specific epithet halicacabum comes from the Greek άλικάκαβον, halikákabon, a soporific plant mentioned by Dioscorides, similar to Physalis due to its swollen calyxes; perhaps from ἁλς hals, meaning salt, and κάκκᾰβος, kákkabos, meaning kettle, pot.

Geographical Distribution and Habitat –
Cardiospermum halicacabum is a climbing plant widely distributed in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Australia, South Asia, and North America.
Its habitat is often along roads and rivers where it grows as an invasive species.

Description –
Cardiospermum halicacabum is a highly developed, climbing perennial herbaceous plant that can even become woody at the base. It grows to over 10 meters tall and can flower at a height of about 25 cm.
The stems are slender and grooved, glabrous to sparsely hairy.
The leaves are triangular, 5 to 6 cm long, distributed along the stem, and divided into a petiole and a 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. The leaf margins are serrated. The stipules are reduced to tiny scales that fall off early. On the sides of a hairy, sparsely downy stem, 5 to 9 cm long, are two 1 mm long bracts, two circularly coiled tendrils, and three to seven flowers in a zymose inflorescence.
The flowers, functionally unisexual, are zygomorphic and have a quadruple-double perianth. Of the four free, concave, and resistant sepals, the two outer ones are circular, 2 mm long, and ciliated, while the two inner ones are oblong-ovate, 3-4 mm long, and glabrous. The four yellowish-white petals are obovate and about 3 mm long; the two upper ones are each adorned with woolly scales, and the two lower ones have large, leaf-shaped scales and two glands.
The male flowers have two circles with four free stamens each and rudimentary snails. The compressed stamens are hairy and about 2 mm long, and the anthers are about 0.5 mm long. In female flowers, the ovary is obovate, 2–3 mm long, and hairy, with a short, hairy, downy style ending in a tripartite scar and eight staminodes.
The fruits, capsule-shaped, membranous, almost spherical or broad, pear-shaped, are 3–5 cm in diameter, initially soft and hairy, light green in color, with brown “balls” when ripe.
There is a single seed in each of the three fruiting chambers. A distinctive feature of the individual seeds is a large, light, heart-shaped spot on the otherwise almost black seed. The kidney-shaped seeds are about 6 mm in diameter, with a white, heart-shaped aril about 5 mm wide at their base.
The seeds are trigonal, subglobose, swollen-pyriform, and pubescent.

Cultivation –
Cardiospermum halicacabum is a herbaceous climbing plant common in tropical and subtropical areas, but also adapts to warm temperate climates. It is prized for its light growth habit, delicate white flowers, and especially for its swollen, translucent fruits resembling small green balloons. Inside, the seeds are black and have a white, heart-shaped spot.
Growing in this plant, it prefers sunny or slightly shaded locations, in warm environments sheltered from the wind. It prefers well-drained, soft, and organically rich soils, but has no particular soil requirements: it grows well even in average soils, as long as there is no waterlogging. To encourage its growth, it is helpful to add mature compost or a balanced organic fertilizer to the soil.
Growing in this plant, Cardiospermum requires regular watering during the warm season, especially in the first few months after transplanting. Once well-established, it tolerates even short periods of drought, but responds best to regular watering. It isn’t particularly susceptible to diseases or pests, but in overly humid environments it can be prone to root rot, so it’s important not to overwater.
In mild climates, it can function as a perennial, while in colder climates, it’s grown as an annual, as it isn’t frost-resistant. For those wishing to preserve it from one year to the next, it’s possible to collect the ripe seeds in the fall and reseed them in the spring.
In addition to its ornamental value, in some folk traditions the plant is also used for medicinal purposes, but its most widespread use remains decorative, to create light and scenic pergolas in the garden or in pots on balconies and terraces.
Propagation is generally by seed, which should be sown in spring after soaking it overnight in warm water to soften the seed coat. Germination is rapid, and the young seedlings can be transplanted when they are strong enough. Being a vigorous climber, the plant requires support to climb: nets, trellises, pergolas or fences are ideal for enhancing its growth and ornamental effect.

Uses and Traditions –
Cardiospermum halicacabum is known by various common names depending on the areas where it is found or cultivated. Common names include:
In English, “balloon vine,” “love-in-a-puff,” “heart pea,” “heart seed,” and “winter cherry”; in French, “pois de cœur”; in German, “Blasenerbse,” “Ballonrebe”; in Italian, “vesicaria del cuore,” “cardiospermo alicacabo,” “palloncini rampicanti”; in Spanish (Latin America), “amor en bolsita,” “farolito,” “globitos,” “pejuco colorado,” and “revienta caballo”; in South and Southeast Asia (especially India), “Kanphuta,” “Kapalphodi,” and “Tejovati”; in Sanskrit, “Jyotishmati,” “Indravalli,” and “Karnasphota.” in Malayalam (Kerala) “Uzhinja”, “Karuttakunni”, “Paluruvam”; in Tamil “Mudakattan”, “Modikkottan”, “Mutakkorran”; in Telugu “Buddakakara”, “Jyotishmatitige”, “Vekkudutiga”; in Kannada “Agniballi”, “Erumballi”, “Kakaralata”, “Bekkina Budde Gida”; in Marathi “Kanphuti”, “Kapal-phodi”, “Shibjal”, “Kakumardanika”; in Assamese “Kapaal Phuta Lata”; in Nepali “Jyotishmati”, “Kapal Phodi”, “Kesh Lahara”; in Indonesia (Javanese/Sundanese) “ketipes”, “paria gunung”; in Malaysia “peria bulan”, “uban kayu”, “bintang berahi”; in the Philippines “parol-parolan” (Tagalog), “kana” (Cebuano Bisaya), “paria-aso” (Iloko); in Thailand “kok kra om” (center), “pho om” (Pattani), “luupleep”, “khruea” (north); in Vietnam “tầm phong”, “chùm phong”; in China “倒地鈴” (“dào dì líng”, “falling bell”); in Japan: 風船葛 (“fūsen kazura” = “balloon screw”); in Senegal and other regions: various names in local languages such as “Manding-Bambara” (basa kung), “Serer” (birbop à tiek), “Wolof” (puti a puti), “Mende” (ndogbɔ-kojai), etc.; In Mexico and other parts of Latin America, it is known as “pejuco colorado,” “amor en bolsita,” “farolito,” “globitos,” and “revienta caballo.”
Furthermore, the 1889 book “The Useful Native Plants of Australia” reports that other common names for Cardiospermum halicacabum were “heartseed,” “heart pea,” or “winter cherry.” It is one of the “Ten Sacred Flowers of Kerala,” collectively known as dasapushpam.
Related species include Cardiospermum grandiflorum, which is very similar to C. halicacabum and is a large, semi-woody perennial, while C. halicacabum is smaller, less woody, and usually an annual. C. grandiflorum also produces larger fruits than the more compact fruits of C. halicacabum. The seeds of C. halicacabum have a kidney-shaped hilum, while those of C. grandiflorum have a round hilum. Additionally, the leaves and stems of C. grandiflorum have small reddish hairs, which are absent in C. halicacabum. Finally, C. grandiflorum has larger flowers than those of C. halicacabum.
Cardiospermum halicacabum is a plant used for medicinal purposes. Some texts report that “The root is diuretic and demulcent. It is mucilaginous, but has a nauseating taste, and is used to treat rheumatism. Sanskrit writers describe the root as emetic, laxative, stomachic, and rubefacient; they prescribe it for rheumatism, nervous diseases, hemorrhoids, etc. The leaves are used for amenorrhea. Rheede states that on the Malabar Coast, the leaves are administered for pulmonary disorders. It is also used in homeopathy to treat eczematic skin. For this purpose, a mother tincture is obtained from the flowering parts of the plant. This is also made into creams and ointments. The green parts of the plant are eaten as a vegetable.
According to Ainslie, the root is considered a laxative and is administered in doses of half a cup twice daily. “For rheumatism, Hindus [sic.] appear to administer the leaves rubbed with oil internally.” castor oil and also apply externally a paste prepared with them; A similar external application is used to reduce swelling and tumors of various kinds.
Its active ingredients include triterpene saponins, alicaric acid, catechin tannins, terpenes, phytosterols, flavonoids, and quebrachitol.
From an ecological perspective, however, it should be noted that in some areas, Cardiospermum halicacabum is an invasive plant. In New Zealand, it is listed in the National Pest Plant Accord, which identifies weeds whose commercial propagation and distribution is prohibited. In Bermuda, it is listed as a Category 1 invasive plant by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. In the United States, four southern states (Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Texas) have included this plant in their lists of noxious weed species. It is considered a noxious weed in New South Wales, Australia, where it must be controlled according to the measures specified in a management program published by the local control authority and must not be sold in some local government areas of the state.

Preparation Methods –
Cardiospermum halicacabum is a plant long known for its medicinal uses.
In Ayurvedic herbal medicine and other traditional medicines, it is used for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antirheumatic properties.
It is used for joint disorders (rheumatism, arthritis), itchy skin, eczema, and allergies.
In homeopathy, plant extracts are used in topical preparations to reduce inflammation and itching.
Traditional preparation methods include the following:
– Infusion or decoction of the aerial parts (leaves and tender stem) for internal use, in some traditional contexts, for rheumatic or respiratory disorders.
– Fresh leaf juice, applied topically to itching and irritation.
– Poultices or pastes obtained from crushed leaves, applied to painful or swollen joints.
In modern homeopathy/phytopharmaceuticals:
– standardized extracts and ready-to-use ointments, often containing 10% Cardiospermum, for eczema and dermatitis.
It should be noted, however, that internal use is not well documented by modern clinical studies; the plant should not be taken without medical supervision. The most widespread and safe use today is topical ointments or lotions based on extracts.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (eds.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora d’Italia, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy: Advice and Experiences with Medicinal Herbs, Ennsthaler Publishers.

Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/474106193/original.jpeg
– http://www.plantillustrations.org/illustration.php?id_illustration=140048&id_taxon=8009&mobile=0&SID=h28jrn89eq6pa88sec5slbsem8&language=English&thumbnails_selectable=0&selected_thumbnail=0&query_type=species&query_broad_or_restricted=broad&group=0&lay_out=0&uhd=0

Warning: The pharmaceutical applications and dietary uses are provided for informational purposes only and do not in any way constitute medical prescriptions. We therefore decline any responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic, or nutritional purposes.