Facts About Kangaroo Paw Flower:
- Mangle's Kangaroo Paw is the floral emblem of Western Australia, where it is endemic.
- Other common species include the Green Kangaroo Paw, which ranges in color from lemon yellow to emerald green, and the Catspaw, which has smaller red, orange and gold flowers.
- Different species of the unusually shaped Kangaroo Paw usually deposit pollen on different areas of the birds' head. Thus, pollen from one species is unlikely to deposit in the flowers of another species.
- The red and green Kangaroo Paw is easily distinguished by its large red and green paw-shaped flowers.
- The Mangle's Kangaroo Paw has traditionally been used in Aboriginal medicines.
- Kangaroo Paws are also pollinated by honey eaters or wattlebirds.
- A major disease of Kangaroo paws is a fungus, which causes Ink disease, where large black blotches appear on the leaves.
- The genus name, Anigozanthos is derived from the Greek word 'anises', meaning unequal or oblique, and 'anthos', meaning flower, an allusion to the division of the Kangaroo Paw flower into six unequal parts.
Source: http://www.theflowerexpert.com/
