peanut

The peanut, groundnut, or monkey nut is a leguminous perennial plant belonging to the pea family, native to South America. After flowering, its pods bury themselves in the ground where the fruits ripen. The plant is widely cultivated for the kernels which are rich in oil and protein.

South American vinelike annual plant. After flowering, the flower stalks bend and force the pods into the earth to ripen underground. The nuts are a staple food in many tropical countries and are widely grown in the southern USA. They provide a valuable edible oil and are the basis for a large number of processed foods. (Arachis hypogaea, family Leguminosae.)