The classification of varieties of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Summary An expanded scheme of groundnut variety classification is presented which is revised in the light of recently collected West African material and is designed in concordance with the most recent taxonomic treatment of the species Arachis hypogaea L. This species consists of two subspecies ssp. hypogaea and ssp. fastigiataWaldron. Each subspecies contains two botanical varieties. Those of ssp. hypogaea are var. hypogaea and var. hirsutaKohler and those of ssp. fastigiataWaldron are var. fastigiata and var. vulgarisHarz. Each infraspecific taxon contains a morphologically distinct group of cultivated varieties.Grain Legume Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Council of Malawi, POB215, Lilongwe, Malawi.Department of Agricultural Botany, University of Reading, Reading, England.