The Mexican flame vine (Senecio confusus Britten) is a member of the Asteraceae native to Mexico and Central America. The genus, Senecio, is considered one of the largest with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 species worldwide. Mexican flame vine climbs by twining around a support.

The fragrant orange daisies are inflorescences comprised of ray florets, the reddish-orange 'petals', and the central disk florets. In the above photograph, the mounded yellow centers are numerous disk florets. The newest florets are yellow; older florets fade to dark orange matching the ray florets.

What appear as a confused tangle of yellow fibers are actually the styles. Each style is connected to the ovary at the base of the floret. The stigma at the top of the style is split; the long lobes (halves) curling outward. The stigmatic lobes stand well above the floret and maximize the surface area to receive pollen.

A disk floret gives rise to a single seed. The seed is dispersed in the wind by means of a pappus, a ring of bristles that acts like a parachute.

Mexican flame vine is a nectaring plant for butterflies, especially gulf fritillaries. It makes an excellent screen to hide unsightly fences and walls. The plant is considered an invasive species in some areas. I have not had problems with spread of the vine by seed, but the vine will run along the ground and root between the leaf nodes. If these runners are not fully removed, the vine comes up where it is unwanted. Judicious pruning once or twice a year keeps the vine under control.

In central Florida, Mexican flame vine blooms sporadically year-round. But come late November, it is covered in orange flowers and continues this wonderful display through February.