92 



THE PEANUT— THE UNPREDICTABLE LEGUME 



Table 2. — Mean Flowers per Peanut Plant (Variety Dixie Runner) as 

 Affected by Nutrient Treatment. Roots of Plants Grown in Complete 

 Solutions to July 1 (80 Days) and Deficient Solutions to August 20 (SO Days) . 



*The negative sign indicates tiie element was omitted from the nutrient solution. 



When the gynophore fails to contact the soil, its length rarely exceeds 

 6 inches, and then it eventually withers. The above-ground portion of the 

 peg has a stem-like anatomy, while the underground portion has a root- 

 like behavior and numerous epidermal outgrowths may be present (fig- 

 ure 1 ) . The young fruit is fleshy in nature and the shell of the fruit some- 

 times has root-hair-like formations (81, 88, 90, 91). These characteristics 

 of the fruiting organ suggest that it might absorb water and nutrients." jj; 



Courtesy Florida Agricultural Experiment Station 



Figure 1. — Gynophore with root-hair-Hke outgrowths. 



