Anigozanthos is a genus of plant found naturally in the Southwestern Australia biogeographic region, belonging to the bloodwort family Haemodoraceae.

[1][2] The 11 species and their subspecies are commonly known as kangaroo paw or catspaw, depending on their size, and the shape and colour of their flowers.

A further species, previously identified as Anigozanthos fuliginosus (black kangaroo paw), was separated to a monotypic genus as Macropidia fuliginosa.

The genus was first named by Jacques Labillardière, a French botanist, in his work, Relation du Voyage à la Recherche de la Pérouse, issued in 1800;[4] he collected and described the type species, Anigozanthos rufus, during the d'Entrecasteaux expedition's visit to Southwest Australia in 1792.

[8] These perennials are endemic to dry sandy, siliceous areas of southwest Australia, but they occur as well in a variety of other environments and soil types.

These long furry hairs also determine the colour of the flower, which may range from almost black to yellow, orange and red.

[9] The popularity of Anigozanthos, as a garden plant or commercially produced cut-flower, has led to the development of cultivars.