The biochemical composition of seed collected from six landrace accessions of Arachis hypogaea L. subsp. hypogaea var. hirsuta was investigated. Florida-grown runner- (cv. Florunner) and virginia-type (cv. NC 7) seed were used as comparative controls. Fatty acid methyl esters were prepared from hexane-extracted oil and analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Oil stability was determined using oxidative stability instrumentation. Tocopherols, free amino acids, and free sugars were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Total oil content ranged from 36-45% for var. hirsuta seed as compared to 46 and 45% for Florunner and NC 7, respectively. Oleic acid/linoleic acid ratios ranged from 0.76-0.95 for the var. hirsuta peanuts as compared to runner (1.71) and virginia (2.1) controls. Tocopherol levels for var. hirsuta (295-377 ppm in oil) were similar to NC 7 (30 ppm) and lower than Florunner (425 ppm). Oil quality characteristics were reflected in much shorter oil stability index times for var. hirsuta seed (5.9-8.0 hr) compared to Florunner (11.6 hr) and NC 7 (12.9 hr). In general, var. hirsuta peanuts contained more free sugars (141-178 μmol/g defatted meal) and free amino acids (18.5-37.2 μmol/g defatted meal) than Florunner (127 and 20.2 μmol/g defatted meal free sugars and free amino acids, respectively) or NC 7 (122 and 20.3 μmol/g defatted meal).