http://www.lanra.uga.edu/peanut/knowledgebase/

Oilseed crop groundnut

The peanut (Arachis hypogaea), better known worldwide as groundnut and to lesser extent as earthnut, monkeynut, and goobers is not a true nut but rather an annual legume much like the bean or a pea . The peanut plant is unusual because it flowers above ground and pods containing one to five seeds are produced underground. Its seeds are rich source of edible oils and contain 40 -50% fat, 20 - 50 % protein, and 10 to 20 % carbohydrate. The seeds are nutritious and contain vitamin E, niacin, folacin, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iron, riboflavin, thiamine, potassium etc. Peanuts, peanut oil and peanut protein meals constitute an important segment of world trade in oilseeds and products. Peanut is the fifth most important oilseed in the world. Peanut is used for different purposes: food (raw, roasted or boiled, cooking oil), animal feed (pressings, seeds, green material, straw), and industrial raw material.