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Prickly pears (genus '' Opuntia'') include a number of plant species that were introduced and have become invasive in Australia. Prickly pears (mostly ''
Opuntia stricta ''Opuntia stricta'' is a species of large cactus that is endemic to the subtropical and tropical coastal areas of the Americas, especially around the Caribbean. Common names include erect prickly pear and nopal estricto (Spanish). The first des ...
'') were imported into Australia in the First Fleet as hosts of
cochineal The cochineal ( , ; ''Dactylopius coccus'') is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the natural dye carmine is derived. A primarily sessile parasite native to tropical and subtropical South America through North Americ ...
insects, used in the dye industry. Many of these, especially the tiger pear, quickly became widespread invasive species, rendering of farming land unproductive. The moth '' Cactoblastis cactorum'' from
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, whose larvae eat prickly pear, was introduced in 1925 and almost wiped out the prickly pear. This case is often cited as an example of successful biological pest control. A
monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...
to ''Cactoblastis cactorum'' was erected in
Dalby, Queensland Dalby () is a rural town and locality in the Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Dalby had a population of 12,719 people. It is on the Darling Downs and is the administrative centre for the Western Downs Re ...
, commemorating the eradication of the prickly pear in the region. The Cactoblastis Memorial Hall in Boonarga, Queensland, also commemorates the eradication.


Species

These ''Opuntia'' species are recorded as naturalised in Australia: *''
Opuntia aurantiaca ''Opuntia aurantiaca'', commonly known as tiger-pear, jointed cactus or jointed prickly-pear, is a species of cactus from South America. The species occurs naturally in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay and is considered an invasive species in Afr ...
'' *'' Opuntia dejecta'' *'' Opuntia dillenii'' *'' Opuntia elata'' *'' Opuntia elatior'' *''
Opuntia engelmannii ''Opuntia engelmannii'' is a prickly pear common across the south-central and Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It goes by a variety of common names, including desert prickly pear, discus prickly pear, Engelmann's prickly pear in ...
'' *''
Opuntia ficus-indica ''Opuntia ficus-indica'', the Indian fig opuntia, fig opuntia, or prickly pear, is a species of cactus that has long been a domesticated crop plant grown in agricultural economies throughout arid and semiarid parts of the world. ''O. ficus-indica ...
'' *''
Opuntia humifusa ''Opuntia humifusa'', commonly known as the devil's-tongue, Eastern prickly pear or Indian fig, is a cactus of the genus ''Opuntia'' present in parts of the eastern United States. Description As is the case in other ''Opuntia'' species, the gr ...
'' *'' Opuntia leucotricha'' *''
Opuntia microdasys ''Opuntia microdasys'' (angel's-wings, bunny ears cactus, bunny cactus or polka-dot cactus) is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae, native and endemic to central and northern Mexico. Description ''Opuntia microdasys'' fo ...
'' *'' Opuntia monacantha'' *''
Opuntia polyacantha ''Opuntia polyacantha'' is a common species of cactus known by the common names plains pricklypear,Johnson, K. A. 2000''Opuntia polyacantha''.In: Fire Effects Information System, nline U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mo ...
'' *'' Opuntia puberula'' *''
Opuntia robusta ''Opuntia robusta'', the wheel cactus, nopal tapon, or camuesa, is a species of cactus in the family Cactaceae. It is native and endemic to central and northern Mexico to within of the Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ...
'' *'' Opuntia schickendantzii'' *'' Opuntia'' sp. Schrank *'' Opuntia streptacantha'' *''
Opuntia stricta ''Opuntia stricta'' is a species of large cactus that is endemic to the subtropical and tropical coastal areas of the Americas, especially around the Caribbean. Common names include erect prickly pear and nopal estricto (Spanish). The first des ...
'' *'' Opuntia sulphurea'' *''
Opuntia tomentosa ''Opuntia tomentosa'', commonly called woollyjoint pricklypear or velvety tree pear, is a species of '' Opuntia'' found in Mexico References External links * * tomentosa Flora of Mexico {{Cactus-stub ...
''


See also

*
Invasive species in Australia Invasive species in Australia are a serious threat to the native biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic ('' genetic variabi ...
*
Conservation in Australia Conservation in Australia is an issue of state and federal policy. Australia is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, with a large portion of species endemic to Australia. Preserving this wealth of biodiversity is importa ...
*
Agriculture in Australia Although Australia is mostly arid, the nation is a major agricultural producer and exporter, with over 325,300 employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing as of February 2015. Agriculture and its closely related sectors earn $155 billion-a-y ...


References

{{Reflist


External links


Prickly Pear photograph album 1926-1933
digitised and held by State Library of Queensland
Prickly pears in Australia
at the Australian Weeds Committee
History of prickly pear in Australia - from a New South Wales' perspective
Invasive plant species in Australia Australia