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Cardiospermum halicacabum

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Rosids Order: Sapindales Family: Sapindaceae Genus: Cardiospermum

‘inalua, balloon vine, haleakai‘a, heartseed, pōniu

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Annual or perennial vines, climbing by circinate tendrils borne near apex of peduncles.

Stems: Stems ribbed, many-branched, sparsely pilose to glabrate.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound (usually biternate). Alternate. Leaflets narrowly to broadly lanceolate or rhombic–lanceolate, 1.5–6 cm long; the terminal leaflet of each primary leaf division larger than those of lateral pair. Surfaces short–hirsute, primarily along the veins, margins, and petiolules. Margins coarsely and irregularly lobed. Petioles 3-4 cm. Stipules present, small and deciduous.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary corymbs. peduncles 3.5–12 cm long. Flowers bisexual (perfect) or unisexual (and then plants monoecious), zygomorphic. Calyx of 4–5 sepals; outer sepals obovate, ca. 1–1.5 mm long, the inner pair suborbicular, 1.5–3 mm long, ciliate. Corolla of 4 petals, white, obovate, ca. 2–3 mm long, 1 pair with small crests. Stamens 8, unilateral; filaments pilose; anthers abortive in pistillate flowers. Ovary superior, 3-celled, absent or vestigial in staminate flowers; ovules 1 per cell, ascending; style short, 3-lobed.

Fruit: Capsules globose to obovoid; membranous; strongly inflated; 3– angled; 2–3.5 cm long; short–hirsute. Seeds 3; black; globose; 3.5–5 mm in diameter; the heart–shaped aril conspicuous.

Ploidy: 2n = 22

Habitat: Low elevation disturbed sites.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Indigenous or Naturalized

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Indigenous or Naturalized
Kaua'i Indigenous or Naturalized
O'ahu Indigenous or Naturalized
Molokai Not in flora
Maui Indigenous or Naturalized
Hawai'i Indigenous or Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 366 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1226 (Ni, K, O, Mo, M, H); Staples & Herbst 2005:517 (DESCR); Faccenda, Arthur, et al. 2025:210 (remove Mo [no evidence of nat.]); Gildenhuys et al. 2015 (status change from nat? to ind/nat?, natural biogeography of this species in Pacific still unclear)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Cardiospermum halicacabum Kapaia, Kapaia Rd. Naturalized on side of road above Kapaia ditch growing with Wedelia. Preserved_Specimen Tangalin, N. 1382 Kauai BISH 2008-06-05
2 Cardiospermum halicacabum Honolulu; University of Hawaii Manoa Campus; vacant lot by faculty apartments over Leucaena shrubs Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 535 Oahu BISH 1967-08-21
3 Cardiospermum halicacabum Lihue District. Timbers Kauai Ocean Club & Residences at Hokuala, large triangle area bordered by Ninini Point Road and runways beyond. Area has Timbers nursery and green waste in opposite corners with a dirt road b Lowland nonnative shrubland w/ Ricinus communis, Rivina humilis, Leucaena leucocephala, Megathyrus maximus. Preserved_Specimen Tangalin, N. 5152 Kauai BISH 2021-03-30
4 Cardiospermum halicacabum Honolulu, Diamond Head; E & N upper slopes and rim, floor of crater xeric Preserved_Specimen Webster, G.L. 13833 Oahu BISH 1968-06-21
5 Cardiospermum halicacabum Kaimuki Highschool, along Palolo Stream Stream bank, second growth. Preserved_Specimen Allison, A. Oahu BISH
6 Cardiospermum halicacabum Halawa Valley Trailing on ground neard old homesite and old taro patches Preserved_Specimen St.John, H. Oahu BISH 1932-12-27
7 Cardiospermum halicacabum Manoa Valley, wasteland near Noelani School Climbing over Manihot utillissima Preserved_Specimen van Royen, P. 10196 Oahu BISH 1968-02-05
8 Cardiospermum halicacabum Manoa Valley, wasteland near Noelani School Climbing over Manihot utillissima Preserved_Specimen van Royen, P. 10196 Oahu BISH 1968-02-05
9 Cardiospermum halicacabum Manoa Valley Near Safeway parking lot. Preserved_Specimen Welton, P. 50 Oahu BISH 1988-11-04
10 Cardiospermum halicacabum banks of Hanamalu Stream on Panicum maximum, Trichachne insularis and other pasture grasses Preserved_Specimen Funk, E.J. 1001 Kauai BISH 1990-05-03
11 Cardiospermum halicacabum Kailua, Kona Preserved_Specimen Meebold, A. 12047 Hawaii BISH 1932-05-01
12 Cardiospermum halicacabum Wailupe Valley Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 2500 Oahu BISH 1917-05-04
13 Cardiospermum halicacabum Maui Preserved_Specimen Mann, H. 380 Maui BISH 1864-01-01
14 Cardiospermum halicacabum Near Waita Reservoir, below Koloa and Poipu, along dirt road in sugar cane fields Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 6028 Kauai BISH 1988-04-08
15 Cardiospermum halicacabum Diamond Head. Ridge mauka Nakalu. S side Preserved_Specimen Munro, G.C. 56 Oahu BISH
16 Cardiospermum halicacabum Hahaione, near dairy buildings, at road Preserved_Specimen Egler, F.E. 3781 Oahu BISH 1937-07-01
17 Cardiospermum halicacabum Kaimuki Preserved_Specimen Topping, D.L. 0.32633267 Oahu BISH 1925-06-25
18 Cardiospermum halicacabum Along the Hanapepe River near the falls Preserved_Specimen Heller, A.A. 2529 Kauai BISH 1895-07-02
19 Cardiospermum halicacabum Lihue Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 493 Kauai BISH 1916-10-04
20 Cardiospermum halicacabum Kualoa Ranch Preserved_Specimen Rock, J.F.C. 2650 Oahu BISH 1910-01-01
21 Cardiospermum halicacabum Honolulu garden Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11254 Oahu BISH 1929-06-01
22 Cardiospermum halicacabum Nuuanu Valley Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 1723 Oahu BISH 1911-05-07
23 Cardiospermum halicacabum Roadsides, Kipahula Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 1776 Maui BISH 1919-12-09
24 Cardiospermum halicacabum Nuuanu Valley Preserved_Specimen Forbes, C.N. 1723 Oahu BISH 1911-07-07
25 Cardiospermum halicacabum Foot of mountain on W side Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Niihau BISH 1912-02-01
26 Cardiospermum halicacabum Foot of mountain on W side Preserved_Specimen Stokes, J.F.G. Niihau BISH 1912-02-01
27 Cardiospermum halicacabum Honolulu Preserved_Specimen Pukui, M.K. Oahu BISH 1931-01-01
28 Cardiospermum halicacabum Kona, Alahaka Bay to Lae Loa (Pt.) Preserved_Specimen Bryan Jr., E.H. Hawaii BISH 1957-01-22
29 Cardiospermum halicacabum Koloa. Weliweli Road near the junction with Hapa road Preserved_Specimen Flynn, T.W. 720 Kauai BISH 1984-01-04
30 Cardiospermum halicacabum Kailua, Kona Preserved_Specimen Meebold, A. Hawaii BISH 1932-05-01
31 Cardiospermum halicacabum Coral Flats Preserved_Specimen Woolford, H.A. Oahu BISH 1957-10-13
32 Cardiospermum halicacabum Reservoir, Waianae Preserved_Specimen Williams, F.X. Oahu BISH 1935-08-03
33 Cardiospermum halicacabum School St., near Kalihi St., in empty lot Preserved_Specimen Suehiro, A. Oahu BISH
34 Cardiospermum halicacabum P.T.B.G. Lawai Valley Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 2251 Kauai BISH 1971-12-21
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