Opuntia ficus-indica is a species of cactus that has long been a domesticated crop plant important in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid parts of the world. It is thought probably to have originated in Mexico. Some of the common English names for the plant and its fruit are
Indian fig opuntia,
Barbary fig,
cactus pear,
spineless cactus, and
prickly pear, although this last name has also been applied to other less common
Opuntia<
(Wikipedia)