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It is in the legume family, or rather, it is a vine of the pea family. Its scientific name is Arachi hypogoea. Arachis is from Greek and is the genus, which comprises about 70 plants in the pea family (Fabaceae) and hypogoea is Greek for "beneath the earth." The peanut is fairly unique in that it's seed pods grow underground because its flower stalks grow a stem that plants itself into the ground and develops the seed pods, which are the shells with the peanuts in them.

There are at least two other plants that do this, though. One, called a hog peanut (Amphicarpa bracteata) also produces underground "nuts". It is also known as a Brambara groundnut, for the district of Bambarra in West Africa, and several other names which could make it easily confused with a peanut, but it is not as good for food at all. These are grown in Africa, Asia, South America, and in warmer parts of the U.S. such as Florida.

There is also the geocarpa bean or groundnut (Macrotyloma geocarpum), grown in West Africa.

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