The family Haemodoraceae contains 13 genera which are distributed in temperate to tropical Australia, northern South America, Africa and Atlantic coasts of North America and New Guinea.  All members of the family are herbaceous perennials, and all are distinguished by their red roots, which earns them the common name bloodroots.  The genus Anigozanthos occurs only in south west Australia, in a variety of habitats ranging from swamp to dry woodland and coastal heath.  This species is a clump-forming perennial with ensiform (in a fan-shaped arrangement), lance-shaped leaves with rough, hairy margins.  The branched stems produce panicles of green-red, woolly, two-lipped, tubular flowers, which in bud resemble a kangaroo paw.  Occurring in areas of swamp seepage, moist habitats on sandy substrate, and well-drained gravel, this species quickly regenerates after bushfire from underground rhizomes.