Why is the kangaroo paw iconic to Australia?

The kangaroo paw is a very unique plant, earning its name by the supposed resemblance of its cluster of unopened flowers to a kangaroo's paw. It is long and slender, like the forepaw of a kangaroo.

The kangaroo paw is native to Australia, and found naturally only in the southwest of Western Australia. The red and green kangaroo paw is the state floral emblem for Western Australia.