Pinto Peanut

Pinto peanut is a long-lived, creeping plant that eventually forms a dense mat of vegetation on
the soil surface. It is usually less than 20 cm tall, and its stems regularly produce roots at their
joints. These stems are hairy and bear alternately arranged leaves that have four leaflets. A pair
of large leafy bracts (up to 30 mm long) is also present at the base of each leaf. The leaflets (up
to 4.5 cm long and 3.5 cm wide) are quite broad with entire margins and rounded tips. They
have darker green and hairless upper surfaces, while their undersides are paler and slightly hairy.
The bright yellow pea-shaped flowers (12-17 mm across) are usually borne on slender, upright,
stalks. After flowering, the flower stalks elongate and grow down into the soil, penetrating the
soil up to a depth of about 7 cm. The small fruit pods (10-14 mm long and 6-8 mm wide) then
develop underground. These fruit have patterned surfaces and usually contain a single light
brown seed, though they may occasionally have two seeds (8-11 mm long and 4-6 mm wide)