Thursday 11 August 2016

DESKTOP 1108 - RED KANGAROO PAW

Anigozanthos is a small genus of Australian plants in the Bloodwort family Haemodoraceae. The 11 species and several subspecies are commonly known as kangaroo paw and catspaw depending on the shape of their flowers. A further species, previously identified as Anigozanthos fuliginosus and commonly known as the black kangaroo paw, has been transferred to its own monotypic genus and is now known as Macropidia fuliginosa.

The Anigozanthos genus was first named by Jacques Labillardière in his work, Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse, issued in 1800. The French botanist collected and described the type species, Anigozanthus rufus, during the d'Entrecasteaux expedition's visit to Southwest Australia in 1792. In recent years a number of numerous hybrids and cultivars have been developed. Kangaroo paws are much in demand as house plants and as cut flowers. The red-and-green kangaroo paw is the floral emblem of Western Australia.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.



4 comments:

  1. Excellent name and flower. The flower emblem is the same as the national flower? Made me look up ours in the U.S., it's the rose. Not quite as exciting.

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  2. P.S. State Flower: Violet. Geesh, pretty mundane stuff.

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  3. First time I have ever seen this plant or heard its name. Cool!

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  4. What lovely red plants you have! Love the color and the information, too.

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