EOL-media-509-40344182

DescriptionAPI Introduced, warm-season, perennial, low-growing (10-20 cm tall) legume. It forms a strong taproot and mats of stolons. Leaves have 4 obovate leaflets, each up to 4.5 cm long. Flowerheads are racemes of yellow pea-like flowers in the leaf axils; producing 1-3 small peanut-like pods that are pushed into the soil on “pegs”. Flowering is from spring to autumn. A native of South America, it is sown for grazing and as a tree-crop ground cover. Best suited to greater than 1000 mm rainfall on free draining soils. Shade tolerant, but tops are burnt off by frost. Amarillo and Bolton cultivars are suited to seed sowing; others need to be planted by sprigs. Yields moderate amounts of non-bloating, high quality forage. Slow to establish, but is very persistent in low frost areas and produces large amounts of seed. Can be found in paddocks where sown over 20 years ago. High humidity and good soil moisture are required for best growth. Although highly drought tolerant, it loses leaves during stress and is slow to recover. Grows on low to high fertility soils and is very efficient at utilising soil phosphorus. Seed costs and sowing rates are high. The large seeds are prone to damage if the wrong sowing equipment is used, although they can be hand sown onto a prepared seedbed and then harrowed and rolled. Persistent under heavy grazing once established, but maximum production is achieved with rotational grazing and where grasses are not allowed to dominate. Date 11 March 2011, 14:26 Source Arachis pintoi habit14 Carol Rose Author Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia