groundnut

/grownd"nut'/, n.

1. Also called wild bean, potato bean. a twining, North American plant, Apios americana (or A. tuberosa), of the legume family, having clusters of fragrant brownish flowers and an edible tuber.

2. any of several other plants having edible underground parts, as the peanut.

3. South Atlantic U.S. peanut.

[1595-1605; GROUND¹ + NUT]

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Any of several plants that bear edible fruit or other nutlike parts.

Three are legumes: Arachis hypogaea, the peanut, the fruit of which is a legume or pod rather than a true nut; Apois americana, also called wild bean and potato bean, the tubers of which are edible; and Lathyrus tuberosa, also called earth-nut pea. Cyperus esculentus, nut sedge or yellow nut grass, is a papyrus relative (sedge family) that also bears edible tubers, especially in the variety called chufa or earth almond.

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▪ plant

 any of several plants that bear edible fruit or other nutlike parts. Three are members of the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae): Arachis hypogaea, the peanut (q.v.), the fruit of which is a legume or pod rather than a true nut; Apois americana, also called wild bean and potato bean, the tubers of which are edible; and Lathyrus tuberosa, also called earth-nut pea. Cyperus esculentus, nut sedge or yellow nut grass, is a papyrus relative (family Cyperaceae) that also bears edible tubers, especially in the variety called chufa or earth almond.

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