Mystery plant identified!
I don't remember how I acquired this mystery succulent, but I planted it in a bowl with two other succulents, whereupon it proceeded to outgrow the others, and was becoming a bit of nuisance. However, when I returned from holiday I discovered it had some flower buds, two of which have now opened to reveal an inflorescence of at least seventy, tiny, beautiful, orange flowers. The whole flower head is about 3cm across and I had to examine the flowers with a hand lens to count the number of petals (5) each one has.
Thank goodness for Google because I couldn't find the plant in any of my many plant books, but soon found it on googling "succulent with orange flowers".
It appears it is Kleinia fulgens (syn Senecio fulgens), and is a native to South Africa. It has various common names including Orange Thistle and Coral Senecio. It comes with a warning: all parts of the plant are poisonous to humans (and I would guess dogs and cats too).
So, now identified, my plant has earned a reprieve, especially as it seems to be developing lots more buds, and off shoots, which I will be able to propagate. You may well see it again on here!
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