Here's a picture. You can see it's leaves are finer the it's green counterparts, but it is definitely the same plant.

 

I think it is just variegation gone wrong.

It is just a genetic flaw.

And DS (11) would like to know if you could send him pods from that part of the vine in hopes that he could also get some variegated Passion Flower vines.

 

All embronic plants and animals too start out as a single cell that divides and grows. Back when the embrionic tissue was just developing, one of the cells genes that controls chlorophil production must have mutated. This mutant cell didn't get screened out, so all the daughter cells that are derived from it continue to display this mutation.

It's kept alive because it's still physically connected with the rest of the plant, which provides it with nutrients to survive. If this mutation had instead occurred in a seed embryo, most likely an albino seedling would have sprouted, but would have died once it's seed reserve ran out.

 

That is really cool! Michael, that is the part I couldn't figure out, how it was still living. Thanks. Chickenista, I'd be more than happy to!

 

I doubt you will get any pods off that as it will die from exposure to sunlight before it has a chance to produce pods. You can see already that it is weakened and shrivelling somewhat. I concur with what MichaelK said, and here is a bit extra information about albinism in plants:

http://whitershadeoftail.wordpress.com/albinsim-in-plants/

Albinism also occurs in plant foliage when they are deficient in or missing the pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the most important photosynthetic pigment in plants and also the one that gives leaves their green colour.

Total albinism in plants is lethal - an albino seedling will die within days of sprouting because after it has used the stored energy from the seedcase it can no longer sustain itself.

Plants of normal green colour can produce albino shoots and these may survive longer because they receive sustainance from the rest of the plant.

They can not survive sunlight though because they have no protection and will shrivel.

 

Sometimes, when cats dig in flower beds and then spin around to do what cats do so that they can then bury it, plants get a view that shocks the color right out of them.

 

Have you sprayed that plant with herbicide lately? We passed a field of white thistle recently and I figured they had been recently sprayed with herbicide of some type.