| Orange flame vine | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Combretaceae |
| Genus: | Combretum |
| Species: | C. fruticosum |
| Binomial name | |
| Combretum fruticosum (Loefl.)Stuntz | |
| Synonyms | |
Combretum farinosumKunth[1] | |
Combretum fruticosum, known asorange flame vineorchameleon vine, is aspecies of bushwillow that occurs fromMexico to northernArgentina.[1]
The orange flame vine is a liana that reaches up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) in height without a support and up to 11 metres (36 ft) with a support. The branches are cylindrical and striated.
Theleaves are persistent to semipersistent, dense and dry. They are simple, opposite, sometimes alternate, 6 to 16 cm long and 3 to 8 cm broad, with an entire margin and a short petiole.
Theflowers appear in summer and are yellowish to reddish, small, grouped in axillarspikes 8 to 16 cm long. Thecalyx is bell-shaped with 4 lobules 5 mm long, thecorolla has 4 very small petals 1 to 1.5 mm long. The 8stamens are 3 cm long and have reddish anthers. The number of flowers varies from 52 to 93 in each inflorescence.[1]
The fruit forms in autumn and is dry andindehiscent, 2 cm long, and reddish brown.