Opuntia fragilis is a prickly pear cactus known by the common names brittle prickly pear and little prickly pear native to much of North America. It occurs in several Canadian provinces. It is known from farther north than any other cactus, occurring near the Arctic Circle in Alberta. There is an isolated and possibly genetically unique population in Eastern Ontario known as the "Kaladar Cactus". Brittle Prickly Pear is a small decumbent cactus that grows to a maximum height of 10 centimeters. Both the common and scientific names refer to the easily detached stem segments. This is known to be a means of plant dispersal. Opuntia fragilis, Haw. A small, prostrate plant, rarely more than 4 inches high: joints tumid, fragile, easily detached, oval, elliptical, or subglobose, 1-2 inches long and nearly as thick as broad, bright green: areoles - inches apart, with whitish wool and a few white to yellow bristles, which are much longer and more abundant on older joints; spines 1-4, occasionally a few small additional ones, weak, dark brown, the upper one usually longer and stronger than the others, rarely an inch in length: flowers greenish yellow, 1-1 inches wide: fruit ovate to subglobose. with few spines or bristles, mostly sterile, an inch or less long; seeds few and large. Rocky Mountain region from Canada to New Mexico.