Taxon:  Opuntia monacantha Haw.



Summary
Genus:
Opuntia
Family:
Cactaceae
Subfamily:
Opuntioideae
Tribe:
Opuntieae
Nomen number:
25858
Place of publication:
Suppl. pl. succ. 81.  1819
Comment:
not based on Cactus monacanthos Willd.
Verified:
07/01/1999 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
3 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Cactus monacanthos Willd.
Opuntia lemaireana Console ex F. A. C. Weber
Opuntia vulgaris Mill. var. lemaireana (Console ex F. A. C. Weber) Backeb.

Invalid Designation(s)
Opuntia vulgaris auct. mult.
No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  2. Anderson, E. F. 2001. The cactus family 508. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.
  3. Angely, J. A. 1965. Flora analitica do Parana.
  4. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  5. Babu, C. R. 1977. Herbaceous flora of Dehra Dun. Note: = Opuntia vulgaris Mill.
  6. Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. 1963-1968. Flora of Java. Note: = Opuntia vulgaris Mill.
  7. Benson, L. 1982. The cacti of the United States and Canada 923. Note: = Opuntia vulgaris Mill.
  8. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  9. Cabrera, A. L., ed. 1965-1970. Flora de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  10. CITES. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendices I, II and III (on-line resource).
  11. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  12. Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
  13. Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
  14. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  15. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  16. Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  17. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  18. Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.
  19. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  20. Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
  21. Humphries, T. et al. 2022. Challenges inherent in controlling Prickly Pear species; a global review of the properties of Opuntia stricta, Opuntia ficus-indica and Opuntia monacantha. Plants. OAJ. 11:3334. DOI: 10.3390/plants11233334.
  22. Hunt, D. 1992. CITES Cactaceae checklist
  23. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
  24. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
  25. IPGRI. New World Fruits Database (on-line resource).
  26. Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.
  27. Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia Note: as Opuntia vulgaris
  28. León (J. S. Sauget) & Alain (E. E. Liogier). 1946-1969. Flora de Cuba Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha Willd.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  29. Leuenberger, B. E. 1993. Interpretation and typification of Cactus opuntia L., Opuntia vulgaris Mill., and O. humifusa (Rafin.) Rafin. (Cactaceae). Taxon 42:427.
  30. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  31. Merrill, E. D. 1922-1926. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants.
  32. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  33. Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia. Note: = Opuntia vulgaris
  34. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  35. Press, J. R. et al. 2000-. Annotated checklist of the flowering plants of Nepal (on-line resource)
  36. Realini, M. F. et al. 2015. Phylogenetic relationships in Opuntia (Cactaceae, Opuntioideae) from southern South America. Pl. Syst. Evol. 301:1123-1134. DOI: 10.1007/s00606-014-1154-1.
  37. Saldanha, C. J. & D. H. Nicolson. 1976. Flora of Hassan district. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  38. Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
  39. Taylor, N. P. et al. 2002. Realignment and revision of the Opuntioideae of Eastern Brazil. Succ. Pl. Res. 6:128.
  40. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
  41. Walters, S. M. et al., eds. 1986-2000. European garden flora. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.
  42. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishcochineal prickly-pear  1Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Englishdrooping prickly-pear as Opuntia vulgaris1Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia. Note: = Opuntia vulgaris
Englishdrooping tree-pear as Opuntia vulgaris1George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia. Note: as Opuntia vulgaris
Englishsmooth tree-pear  1George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia. Note: as Opuntia vulgaris
Afrikaansluisiesturksvy  2Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Afrikaanssuurturksvy  2Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Germangewöhnliche Opuntie  2Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
Portuguesemonducuru  2Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Portugueseurumbeba  2Taylor, N. & D. Zappi. 2004. Cacti of eastern Brazil
Portuguese (Brazil)arumbeva  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)cardo-palmático  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)palmatória  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilBahia Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilEspírito Santo Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilMinas Gerais Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilParaná Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilRio de Janeiro Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilRio Grande do Sul Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSanta Catarina Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSão Paulo Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaBrazilBrazilSergipe Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
1NativeSouthern AmericaSouthern South AmericaArgentinaBuenos Aires Cabrera, A. L., ed. 1965-1970. Flora de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
2Cultivated    also cult. 
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
4NaturalizedAfricaMacaronesiaSpainCanarias Eriksson, O. et al. 1979. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 2.
4NaturalizedAfricaNortheast Tropical AfricaSomalia  Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
4NaturalizedAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth Africa  Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
4NaturalizedAfricaWestern Indian OceanMauritius  Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
4NaturalizedAfricaWestern Indian OceanReunion  Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateChinaChina  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaTaiwan  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon  Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
4NaturalizedAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria  Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentBhutan  Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia  Press, J. R. et al. 2000-. Annotated checklist of the flowering plants of Nepal (on-line resource)
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentNepal  Press, J. R. et al. 2000-. Annotated checklist of the flowering plants of Nepal (on-line resource)
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentSri Lanka  Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesiaJawa Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. 1963-1968. Flora of Java.
4NaturalizedAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines  Merrill, E. D. 1922-1926. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaAustraliaAustralia  George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4NaturalizedAustralasiaNew ZealandNew Zealand  Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4NaturalizedEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance incl. CorsicaGreuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
4NaturalizedPacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificFiji  Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
4NaturalizedPacificSouthwestern PacificNew Caledonia  Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Native
Southern America
  • BRAZIL: Brazil [Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe]
  • SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Buenos Aires]
Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa
  • MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias]
  • NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Somalia
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: South Africa
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Mauritius, Reunion
Asia-Temperate
  • WESTERN ASIA: Lebanon, Syria
  • CHINA: China
  • EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal
  • MALESIA: Indonesia [Jawa], Philippines
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia
  • NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand
Europe
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: France (incl. Corsica)
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji, New Caledonia

Reference(s)
  1. Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
  2. Backer, C. A. & R. C. Bakhuizen van den Brink, Jr. 1963-1968. Flora of Java.
  3. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  4. Cabrera, A. L., ed. 1965-1970. Flora de la provincia de Buenos Aires. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.; = O. vulgaris Mill.
  5. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  6. Eriksson, O. et al. 1979. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 2.
  7. Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
  8. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  9. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  10. Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
  11. Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
  12. Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
  13. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
  14. Merrill, E. D. 1922-1926. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants.
  15. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  16. Press, J. R. et al. 2000-. Annotated checklist of the flowering plants of Nepal (on-line resource)
  17. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
  18. Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i
  19. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalornamental Walters, S. M. et al., eds. 1986-2000. European garden flora. Note: lists as Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw.
Weed  Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Weed  Humphries, T. et al. 2022. Challenges inherent in controlling Prickly Pear species; a global review of the properties of Opuntia stricta, Opuntia ficus-indica and Opuntia monacantha. Plants. OAJ. 11:3334. DOI: 10.3390/plants11233334.
Weed  Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia Note: as Opuntia vulgaris
Weed as Opuntia vulgarisGeorge, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia. Note: as Opuntia vulgaris
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=25858. Accessed 12 May 2026.