strange flowers

On Friday, we were walking in the Sunset to meet Alison and Eli for dinner when I stopped to take photos of these strange flowers that caught my eye. They were growing in a flower box in front of someones driveway. I had never seen anything like them before - what crazy blue fringe, what an unusual spectrum of colors, what an interesting raised center!

Does anyone know what they are?

UPDATE: http://www.passionflower.org/

"We had these all over Mississippi. The maypops taste like slimy guava. The flowers refer to the passion of Christ. Read more above! I love you! Mom"