Prickly Pear
Opuntia, commonly called the prickly pear cactus, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, many known for their flavorful fruit and showy flowers.
The genus is named for the Ancient Greek city of Opus.
Why it is in news?
A species of prickly pear (Opuntia), that is an exotic, invasive species spreading over many parts of the arid scrub forests of the Sigur plateau in the Nilgiris.
Conservationist suggested that the plant could be declared as “minor forest produce” so that indigenous communities can harvest the plant, which is consumed in many parts of the world.
Ecologists state that the cactus, which is not consumed by any of the large mammals inhabiting the Sigur plateau, except by macaques and a few species of birds, are said to be threatening native biodiversity due to spreading into areas that are inhabited by native grasses and shrubs.
The ecologist also stated that the Sigur plateau and the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) has multiple invasive species of flora, including Lantana camara, Eupatorium and Senna spectabilis, each requiring their own management strategies to prevent them from limiting foraging areas for ungulates.
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