Can any of you Canadians explain why Prickly Pears are known in French as "Figues Barbary" -- Barbary figs? They're no relation to figs! Of course, they're no relation to pears either!
"Barbary Fig" is an old name for Opuntia ficus-indica. This was so-named because the fruit superficially resembles a fig in appearance (and also because the species was introduced and naturalised in 'Barbary' [northwest Africa] a long time ago).
