Could you help me identify this fruit?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by hiffvie, Oct 16, 2011.

  1. hiffvie

    hiffvie Member

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    Hello! I came across this strange fruit in the forest, (In east Tennessee, near the national park- In an area where an old farm used to be, it' not there anymore though, not for years.) it's green, and very irregularly shaped, it smells really nice and fragrant, it has an almost flowery smell. It's got a very bumpy surface, and a thick meaty stem. It's about the size of a soft ball, maybe a bit bigger. Can anyone help me identify it? Also, just out of curiosity, is it edible?

    I have some pictures here: http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm304/sparklytoast/weirdquincething.png


    It's also very heavy!
     
  2. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    Looks like Maclura pomifera, Osage Orange.

    According to Wikipedia:
     
  3. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Ditto to Osage-orange Maclura pomifera.

    Not heard about the seeds being edible before, I'd treat that with caution.

    The fruit do get eaten by large animals (e.g. horses, cows), which then disperse the seeds in their manure.
     

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