430 



LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



PEANUT GOOBER PEA, GROUND PEA. Arachis hypoycea. 



The principal characters of the genus are the immensely long tube of 

 the calyx, whose limb is two-lipped; the corolla papilionaceous and 



yellow, and eight stamens 

 united in one parcel. The 

 ovary is very small, and is 

 plared at the bottom of the 

 very long calyx tube; it 

 contains two ovules, and is 

 terminated by a very long 

 style, thickened at its ex- 

 tremity, and covered with 

 hairs at the place where it 

 comes in contact with the 

 stamens. After the fall of 

 the flower, the ovary, which 

 is very small, is gradually 

 raised upon a stalk which, 

 in time, attains at length 

 two to three inches, and in 

 its growth curves down- 

 wards, so that a length of 

 the small ovary at its ex- 

 tremity is thrust into the 

 ground. When this happens, the ovary begins to enlarge and ripens 

 into a pale yellowish, wrinkled, slightly curved pod, often contracted 

 in the middle and containing two seeds. Should' the ovary, by some 

 accident, not be enabled to thrust its pods into the ground, it withers 

 and does not attain perfection. 



The Peanut is supposed to be indigenous to Africa, and 

 within the last few years has become of great commercial 

 importance. Large quantities are grown on the western 

 oast of Africa and in South America. It is also cultivated 



