Talk about a conversation piece if it where growing in your yard.

Too much, Karyn,

Fran

March 4, 2011 11:20
Passion fruit
Brazilian gardener Maria Rodrigues de Aguiar Farias, 53, shows off penis-shaped passion fruit growing in her backyard.

A vine producing penis-shaped passion fruit has been discovered by a gardener in the Brazilian city of San Jose de Ribamar, in the country�s north. Normally round, the fruit is native to South America and its tart pulp can be found flavoring everything from sweet desserts to caipirinhas, the Brazilian national cocktail.

Although none of the penis-shaped variety are ripe yet, the woman who grew them, Maria Rodrigues de Aguiar Farias, 53, told the news site G1 so many visitors want to see the plants that she�s started charging admission.

"I charge two reals to look, 15 for taking photographs, and 20 to shoot video," she said. (That's a little over $1 to see, $9 for a snapshot and $12 for video).

A local government plant expert has examined the fruit and pronounced it healthy, G1 reported. While it remains to be seen how good the plant�s pulp tastes, the shape itself shouldn�t be a reason to shy away, said Marcelo Cavallari, with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation.

On the contrary.

"It's pretty big, it's pretty thick," Cavallari said. "It may even reach 15 to 20 cm in length."

there's atleast 2 video footage of the place on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cwtmuR-A7vE

here's a Brasil site with some different photos.
http://gazetaonline.globo.com/_conteudo/2011/03/eu_aqui/789412-maracuj as-com-formatos-falicos-tambem-sao-encontrados-em-porto-velho-ro.html

most likely this: Giant passionfruit (Passiflora quadrangularis)

http://www.fruitipedia.com/giant_passionfruit Passiflora quadrangu laris.htm

http://www.edible.co.nz/fruits.php?fruitid=33

http://www.imagejuicy.com/images/fruits/g/giant-granadilla/1/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juachon_organicfarming/3358105153/

the pics on these websites match the Brasil website pic

If there was a vine that produced beautiful flowers, as does the Passiflora quadrangularis AND this shape of fruit, there would be some very rich folks growing it!

I'll take TWO - need an incase, ya know!!!!

did some searches on Marcelo Cavallari, and he does work for the Agriculture Research (Embrapa). in one of the articles he said the shape was most likely caused by a mutation with either the pollen or from a beetle. thus from one of the pics why only some of the fruits had the phallic shape and the other fruits were oval(normal) shaped.

supposedly the towns people used the fruit as the theme for their "pre-carnival" celebration.

these links are from Bing w/ Microsoft translation
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-US&dl =en&lp=PT_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.oimparcial.com.br%2fapp%2fnoticia%2fur bano%2f2011%2f02%2f21%2finterna_urbano%2c72982%2findex.shtml

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-US&dl =en&lp=PT_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2fportaltaiacuonline-carnaval.blogspot.com%2 f2011%2f03%2fmaracuja-que-cresce-em-formato-falico.html

http://community.discovery.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=6941912904&f=5261919 888&m=70019482111&r=70019482111#70019482111

kayjones, i understand your disbelief, but blantantly saying that "passion vine fruit does NOT grow that size" is untrue. did you not even read what've posted about Passiflora quadrangularis. i know daves...garden (spam alert or some BS) is a reputable site among gardeners, so here a link to their site with a pic of a Passiflora quadrangularis that looks to be about 12" long and 5-6" wide.

http://daves *delete this space* garden.com/guides/pf/showimage/292193/

here is Purdue University's site
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/giant_granadilla.html

"The largest fruit in its genus, the giant granadilla, Passiflora quadrangularis L. (syn. P. macrocarpa M.T. Mast.), is often called merely granadilla, or parcha, Spanish names loosely applied to various related species; or it may be distinguished as granadilla real, grandadilla grande, parcha granadina or parcha de Guinea.

The pleasantly aromatic, melon-like fruit is oblong-ovoid, 4 3/4 to 6 in (12-15 cm) wide, and 8 to 12 in (10-30 cm) long;"

California Dept of Food and Ag
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/pe/AgCommID/page37.htm
"Yellow or yellowish-green fruit, oblong ovoid, often three grooved, sometimes with purple spots, 8 to 12 inches long."

your second statement of "second of all, this vine would be all over the world and Hugh Hefner would own all the rights to it, if indeed it naturally grew phallus-shaped!!!!" the articles specifically quoted the supposed agriculture expert saying it was a mutation of some sort, possibly by a beetle. and technically speaking, Mr. Hefner could not own the rights to this plant, b/c he nor his company did not cultivate this particular variety, and did not patent it.

there are some mutations or deformities when insects bite fruit or plants. i know my live oaks get these ball shaped woody things on their branches. i looked it up and it was caused by a wasp that injects a chemical into the branch and lays an egg into that spot. i know and have seen these types of deformities on tomatoes, squash, citrus, pears and leafy vegetables. i'm sure there are a lot more examples out there.

but what got my panties in a bunch was just a few posts above, i had linked several websites and a picture of Passiflora quadralandris showing that there is a variety of passion fruit that does get that big, thus its common name is Giant passion fruit.