ABSTRACT
Kangaroo paws are a group of Australian native plants from the genera Anigozanthos (11 species) and Macropidia (1 species). Kangaroo paws are monocots in the Haemodoraceae, a family closely related to the lily (Liliaceae) and iris (Iridaceae) families. The plants are herbaceous perennials with creeping and clumping rhizomes and basal strap-shaped or sword-shaped leaves. Flowers with bright red, purple, green, or yellowish colors are borne in a single row along a narrow woolly spike or raceme that stands tall above the foliage. As the flowers open, the spike is bent and resembles a kangaroo’s paw; thus, the common name.
