Arachishy/iogaaLin.Sp.Pi. 1040, is a leguminous plant, originally from Africa, but now-cultivated in all the European establishments. Its calyx is divided into two parts, the upper of which is semi-trifid, and the inferior lanceolated; the corolla papilionaceous, almost reversed. It has nine monadelphous stamina, and the tenth free and barren; a superior ovarum, which becomes an oblong, cylindrical, reticulated pod, opening with difficulty, and containing two or three seeds. The leaves are alternated, winged, without an odd one; each composed of four oval leaflets, with a membranous stipula at their base, divided into two.

The flowers of the arachisare placed in the axillae of the leaves. The upper ones, though perfect, are abortive; but the lower bend and hide themselves in the earth. They are there sought after by the negroes, who eat them boiled in water, or roasted in the ashes. The seed is of the size of the little finger, with the taste of an almond, but with a flavour of dry pitch, at first unpleasant. An oil equal to that of olives, which does not grow rancid, may be obtained from it, by pressure; and a bushel of the seeds, which, in the year 1768, were valued at only eight pence, produced a gallon of oil. Philosophical Transactions for 1769.