Papaya Vivipary: An Unusual Finding of “An Umbilical Cord”

Abstract

Vivipary is not a rare finding in papaya fruit. However, this short communication describes the unusual germination of seedling within intra-ovarian ovary. The seedling is attached at two ends of the immature ovary: by radicle at one end, and by elongated tubular structure at the other end. The tubular structure, probably a hypocotyl, mimics an umbilical cord connecting the growing fetus with that of placenta in human embryonic development.