Opuntia, also known as nopales or
paddle cactus, is a genus in
the cactus family, Cactaceae.
Currently,
only prickly pears are included in this genus of about 200 species distributed
throughout most of the Americas.
The most commonly culinary species
is the Indian
Fig Opuntia (O.
ficus-indica). Most culinary uses
of the term "prickly pear" refer to this species. Prickly pears are
also known as "tuna", "nopal" or nopales, from the Nahuatl word nōpalli for the pads, or nostle, from the
Nahuatl word nōchtli for the fruit; or paddle cactus.
The genus is named for the Ancient Greek city of Opus where, according to Theophrastus, an
edible plant grew which could be propagated by rooting its leaves. [Wiki]
