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Gomphocarpus physocarpus

E.Mey. (1838)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Gentianales Family: Apocynaceae Genus: Gomphocarpus

balloon plant, balloonplant

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Sparingly branched perennial herbs 1–2 m tall, becoming somewhat woody at base, glabrate or puberulent.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades linear–lanceolate to lanceolate, (3.5–)5–12(–13) cm long, 0.3–2 cm wide. Upper surfaces sparsely pubescent; lower surfaces hairy along midvein. Margins entire. Petioles 0.1– 1 cm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary umbellate cymes, pedicels 1–2 cm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx of 5 sepals, lanceolate. Corolla 5, white, the lobes ovate, 8–10 mm long, reflexed, ciliate. Stamens 5; Corona white, the segments erect, strongly compressed laterally, without an internal horn. Ovary superior, 2, free; ovules numerous; styles connate; stigma head fleshy.

Fruit: Fruit of 2 follicles; follicles ovoid; strongly inflated; 4–7 cm long; 2.5–5 cm in diameter; covered with long soft bristles. Seeds numerous; flattened.

Ploidy: 2n = 22

Habitat: Naturalized in low elevation; dry habitats.

Elevation Range: up to 1,830 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Kaho'olawe Naturalized
Maui Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents

Water/Ocean
Wind
Other Animals

Pollinators

Specimens

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Bibliography

Name Published In: Comm. Pl. Afr. Austr.: 202 (1838)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:240 (K, O, L, M, Ka, H [as Asclepias physocarpa]); Oppenheimer 2007:19 (Mo); Goyder 2012:427/POWO 2025 (Syn. A. physocarpa = G. physocarpus)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Gomphocarpus physocarpus 2mi S of Pohue Bay Growing along coast rd. Preserved_Specimen Higashino, P.K. 10208 Hawaii BISH 1984-03-26
2 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Honolulu: Round Top Seaward end, in Tricholaena grassland, rare. Preserved_Specimen Egler, F.E. 37303 Oahu BISH 1937-07-27
3 Gomphocarpus physocarpus S Kona Forest Reserve, Honomalino Section, The Nature Conservancy Roadside. Preserved_Specimen Pell, S.K. 828 Hawaii BISH 2008-08-08
4 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Site ca. 3.5 km N of Bobcat Trail and Ca. 1.4 km E of Military Boundary Community: Myoporum shrubland. Topography: gentle slopes. Substrate: Mauna Loa old pahoehoe. Associates: Myoporum sandwicense, Dodonaea viscosa, Pennisetum setaceum. Preserved_Specimen Hastings, D. 109521 Hawaii BISH 1995-10-31
5 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Kuaokala/Waianae Summit Exposed windswept area on trail on the summit ridge. Preserved_Specimen Welton, P. 152 Oahu BISH 1989-10-14
6 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Lower half of Kaala Rd mesic forest Preserved_Specimen Annable, C.R. 3728 Oahu BISH 1997-10-15
7 Gomphocarpus physocarpus East Maui, 8.0 mi E of Ulupalakua Ranch on Piilani Hwy. (Hwy 31), 4.9 mi W of manawainui In loose cinders of roadside. Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 4771 Maui BISH 1983-01-14
8 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Wahiawa (dist.), Opaeula In moderately wet pineapple field. Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 457 Oahu BISH 1931-06-20
9 Gomphocarpus physocarpus East Maui, Hana District, SE of Kauiki from Kaihalulu Bay to Ka Iwi O Pele Coastal pasture lands. Preserved_Specimen Flynn, T.W. 2540 Maui BISH 1987-10-22
10 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Lihue District, Mt. Haupu, middle of the range N of finger, trail up ridge behind maitenance sheds. In pasture and on edge of pasture before ridge. Distrubed lowland windward Forest with weedy pasture grasses Preserved_Specimen Tangalin, N. 3596 Kauai BISH 2012-03-27
11 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Koloa, Kalaheo pasture Preserved_Specimen Trauernicht, C. 203 Kauai BISH 2007-10-15
12 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Just E of the Moaula summit (1444') In an ancient crater. Found growing at the base of a rock outcrop w. 2-3 others in a scattered Prosopis scrub, & grassland of Andropogon pertusus. Also found occcasionally upon the higher slopes of the island. Preserved_Specimen Clarke, G. 415 Kahoolawe BISH 1980-04-25
13 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Wailau Valley, Elealii [sp?] Uncommon in open areas Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 80507 Molokai BISH 2005-08-16
14 Gomphocarpus physocarpus PTBG, Lawai Valley Occasional throughout valley. Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 2014 Kauai BISH 1971-07-20
15 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Kau District. Along Halape trail In open grass area. Preserved_Specimen Herat, T. 822 Hawaii BISH 1974-06-29
16 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Puuwaawaa; on transect T17 Metrosideros foreest, among patches of bare a'a. Preserved_Specimen Takeuchi, W.N. 5780 Hawaii BISH 1989-12-26
17 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Koolau Mountains; Kalauao Ridge Abandoned pineapple field. Preserved_Specimen Fosberg, F.R. 9314 Oahu BISH 1933-03-29
18 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Lanai City Rare roadside weed. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 28621 Lanai BISH 1963-07-16
19 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Waimea District, Kawaiiki valley. Lowland Diospyros mixed mesic summer dry forest w/ Metrosideros polymorpha, Nestegis sandwicensis, Pteralyxia kauaiensis, Alectryon macrococcus, Pisonia sandwicensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Antidesma platyphylla, Myrsine lanaiensis, Psychotria greenwell Preserved_Specimen Wood, K.R. 16098 Kauai BISH 2014-09-23
20 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Ewa, Kaonohi Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. 107 Oahu BISH 1928-05-12
21 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Mokuleia. along trail on ridge west of Puu Iki Preserved_Specimen Webster, G.L. 1174 Oahu BISH 1947-12-07
22 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Area within 300 m west of LZ-1. UTM coordinates 752400-2275900 Preserved_Specimen Warren, S. 12 Kahoolawe BISH 1987-04-09
23 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Kipapa Gulch 2nd N branch, Waipio, Koolau Mts Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 214 Oahu BISH 1930-04-13
24 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Kau District, Keauhou Ranch; in Kipuka Ki near boundary with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Preserved_Specimen Cuddihy, L.W. 178 Hawaii BISH 1980-01-31
25 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Waianae Mountains; Palikea Trail Preserved_Specimen Stone, B.C. 3473 Oahu BISH 1960-05-05
26 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Halawa Gulch Preserved_Specimen Swezey, O.H. 35 Oahu BISH 1925-01-04
27 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Keomuku Highway Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 30753 Lanai BISH 1963-07-17
28 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Tantalus, Near prison camp, Round Top Preserved_Specimen Wilder, G.P. 1261 Oahu BISH 1925-09-29
29 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Mokuleia; Kaawa-Kamokunui Ridge Preserved_Specimen Grant, M.L. 7050 Oahu BISH 1934-07-11
30 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Red Hill Preserved_Specimen Brown, F.B.H. 1299 Oahu BISH 1924-07-29
31 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Red Hill, open ridge Preserved_Specimen Topping, D.L. Oahu BISH 1928-02-19
32 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Growing in abandoned pineapple field, Waipio Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 701 Oahu BISH 1967-11-09
33 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Red Hill, open ridge Preserved_Specimen Topping, D.L. Oahu BISH 1928-02-19
34 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Honolulu; Foster Botanic Gardens Preserved_Specimen Potter, C. Oahu BISH 1960-05-09
35 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Puuloa; Honolulu Plantation Preserved_Specimen Swezey, O.H. Oahu BISH 1930-08-22
36 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Halawa Valley Preserved_Specimen Gouveia, A. Oahu BISH 1919-10-19
37 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Kau district, Keauhou Ranch, in Kipuka Ki near boundary with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Preserved_Specimen Cuddihy, L.W. 177 Hawaii BISH 1980-01-31
38 Gomphocarpus physocarpus Honolulu. Garden along Lunalilo Freeway at Punchbowl Preserved_Specimen Iltis, H.H. 605 Oahu BISH 1967-01-01
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