Balloon Vine

Cardiospermum grandiflorum

Family: Sapindaceae.

Form: Vine

Origin: Native of tropical America, West Indies and Africa.

Flowers/Seedhead: Flowers: White in clusters, the stalk of the flowerhead ending in a pair of tendrils. Flowers with 4 white petals. Flowers most of the year.

Description: Herbaceous climber with stems to more than 10 m long. Leaves 6–16 cm long, on a leaf stalk 2–10 cm long, with 3 leaflets each further divided into 3; margins of leaflets irregularly toothed. Fruit 3-seeded. Seed blackish, round, about 7 mm wide.

Distinguishing features: Distinguished by climbing habit. Plants have densely, usually rusty, hairy stems and flower stalks; flowers 8–10 mm long. Fruit an inflated capsule, 6-ribbed, 4–8 cm long, covered with short stiff hairs.

Dispersal: Dispersed by seeds, which are transported by wind and water, mostly while attached to membranous inner walls of fruit.