Opuntia, commonly called prickly pear or pear cactus, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae. Opuntia contains a range of phytochemicals in variable quantities, such as polyphenols, jelly figs minerals and betalains.
In 1754, the Scottish botanist Philip Miller divided them into several genera, including Opuntia. Considerable variation of taxonomy occurs within Opuntia species, resulting in names being created for variants or subtypes within a species, and use of DNA sequencing to define and isolate various species. This can make classification difficult, yielding a reticulate phylogeny where different species come together in hybridization. Opuntia also has a tendency for polyploidy.
Plains prickly pear, Starvation Prickly pear, Panhandle prickly pear, found in the Great Plains, Great Basin, Mojave Desert, Colorado Plateau, and the Rocky Mountains, syn. Chollas, now recognized to belong to the distinct genus Cylindropuntia, are distinguished by having cylindrical, rather than flattened, stem segments with large barbed spines. Like most true cactus species, prickly pears are native only to the Americas. Through human actions, they have since been introduced to many other areas of the world. The first introduction of prickly pears into Australia is ascribed to Governor Phillip and the earliest colonists in 1788. Brought from Brazil to Sydney, prickly pear grew in Sydney, New South Wales, where they were rediscovered in a farmer’s garden in 1839.
Europe during the 1500s and Australia in the 18th century for gardens, and were later used as a natural agricultural fencing and in an attempt to establish a cochineal dye industry. Natural distribution occurs via consumption and seed dispersal by many animals, including antelopes, nonhuman primates, elephants, birds, and humans. Animals that eat Opuntia include the prickly pear island snail and Cyclura rock iguanas. The fruit are relished by many arid-land animals, chiefly birds, which thus help distribute the seeds. Although the plants are edible, the pointed hairs should not be eaten, and similar species with milky sap are suspect. Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. A box of prickly pear candy, often sold in Southwest U.
DV for magnesium, with no other micronutrients in significant content. The fruit of prickly pears, commonly called cactus fruit, cactus fig, Indian fig, nopales or tuna in Spanish, is edible, although it must be peeled carefully to remove the small spines on the outer skin before consumption. In Mexico, prickly pears are often used to make appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, vegetable dishes, breads, desserts, beverages, candy, jelly, and drinks. The prickly pear was introduced to Eritrea during the period of Italian colonisation between 1890 and 1940.
The beles from the holy monastery of Debre Bizen is said to be particularly sweet and juicy. Tungi cactus now grows wild in the dry coastal regions of the island. Prior to modern medicine, Native Americans and Mexicans primarily used Opuntia as a coagulant for open wounds, using the pulp of the stem either by splitting the stem or scraping out the pulp. In one recent study, it was found that Opuntia aided in the prevention or slow down of diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. The results of the group that was taking Opuntia showed a reduction in BMI, body composition, and waist circumference when compared to the placebo group. Traditional “Zapotec nest” farming of the cochineal scale insect on O.
Dactylopius coccus is a scale insect from which cochineal dye is derived. Cochineal is used primarily as a red food colouring and for cosmetics. The biggest producers of cochineal are Peru, the Canary Islands, and Chile. Apart from cochineal, the red dye betanin can be extracted from some Opuntia plants themselves. Cactus is used as a fodder crop for animals in arid and dryland regions. The thick skin of nopal cactus can be harvested as an environmentally-friendly leather replacement. Bioethanol can be produced from some Opuntia species.
Nopal juice can be used to produce bioplastic. The coat of arms of Mexico depicts a Mexican golden eagle, perched upon an Opuntia cactus, holding a rattlesnake. 1988 version of the emblem of Malta also featured a prickly pear, along with a traditional dgħajsa, a shovel and pitchfork, and the rising sun. This cactus is also the origin of the term sabra used to describe a Jew born in Israel.
The allusion is to a thorny, spiky skin on the outside, but a soft, sweet interior, suggesting, though the Israeli sabras are rough on the outside, they are sweet and sensitive once one gets to know them. The prickly pear cactus has been used for centuries both as a food source and a natural fence that keeps in livestock and marks the boundaries of family lands. They are resilient and often grow back following removal. Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to stop Cubans from escaping Cuba to take refuge in the United States.