Peanuts, also known as groundnuts, are an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the legume family. Native to South America, peanuts were first domesticated in the valleys of Paraguay. They have yellow pea-like flowers that develop underground into legume pods containing 1 to 4 seeds each. After pollination, the flower stalk elongates so the ovary touches the ground, where the pod matures, making peanuts a unique example of geocarpy. Peanuts are an important oilseed crop in India.