ARACHIS HYPOG^A (PEA-NUT) 49 



The pea-nut, ^[rachis liypogccu, is also known as the 

 ground-nut or monkey-nut. The Peruvians called it ynchi, 

 the Spanish mondubi and later cacahuete. M. Dubard 

 believes that the Spanish name cacahuete is merely a cor- 

 ruption of the Mexican term. 



Geographical Distribution. — At the present day 

 Arachis hypogcea is a plant with a very wide distribution 

 throughout tropical and equatorial regions. Its importance 

 varies from country to country. In Asia: India, Indo- 

 China, Japan. In Oceania: the Island of Java. In America: 

 North Carolina, Virginia, Mexico, the Antilles, Jamaica, 

 Cura9ao, Brazil, Argentine. In Africa: West Coast, 

 Mozambique, Madagascar, Egypt. 



Brief Description. — The pea-nut belongs to the group 

 of Papilionacece in the series of the Hedysarise. 



It is an herbaceous plant with stems creeping or erect, 

 and it may attain a length varying with the species from 

 40 to 80 cm. 



The leaves, composed of two pairs of oval leaflets, are 

 alternate and generally have the lower surface covered with 

 a light down, while their upper surface is smooth. 



The fertile flowers are placed at the axils of the lower 

 leaves when the stems are erect, but when the stems are 

 creeping the flowers are disposed along their w^hole length. 

 They are yellow in colour with red striations ; the ovary is 

 unilocular and contains a small number of ovules. 



The flower is placed at the end of a long peduncle, which 

 elongates immediately after fertihzation and bends over 

 towards the ground, pushing into it the ovary, which then 

 begins to increase in size. The fruit is found at a depth 

 of 5 or 6 cm., owing to its forcing its way down as it grows. 



The fruit is an oblong or ovoid pod, of pale straw colour, 

 and varies in size according to the variety. It contains 

 from one to four seeds, covered by a papyraceous, coriaceous 

 epidermis. 



The seed is yellowish white, with cotyledons filled with 

 oil, and covered by a reddish integument. 

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