Lota futki or Balloon plant, Cardiospermum halicacabum

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Lota futki or Balloon plant (Cardiospermum halicacabum, family: Sapindaceae) a large creeper with wiry stems, climbing other trees with tendrils, sometimes completely covering the host. The climber is native to tropical and subtropical Africa and Asia. The plant grows on fallow land as weed in Bangladesh.  

   
Common names: Kanfutki, kopalfutki, Noafutki, Futka (Bangla), Balloon vine, Love in a puff (English).
Leaves are compound, ternate, lanceolate, lobed or serrated, 4-8 cm long.


Flowering and budding occurs round the year. Flowers are very small, greenish white.


Fruit is triangular, 1.5-4 cm wide, hairy and black when ripe. Calyx develop into the coat of fruit. These are 3-seeded. Each seed have a heart-shaped mark at the top.                                                                                                                     
 The love-seeds!

It is used in rheumatism, constipation, urinary and menstrual disorder. 

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