wall e - What kind of plant did EVE find?

In WALL•E, EVE found a plant when visiting Earth for a routine check. When reading this question about the plant, it is called a pea plant. However, it does not actually look much like a pea plant, and it got me to thinking.

What kind of plant is it that is found by EVE?

Answer

In universe

Within the script the plant is simply referred to as ...

...a SMALL PLANT

This image from the film's concept art archive states that it is indeed a pea plant

That being said, if the animation at the end of the film is anything to go by, it's actually some kind of mutant pea sapling since peas don't usually grow into trees.

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Out of universe

According to 'The Art of WALL•E' the model for EVE's plotline was in fact Noah's Ark, with EVE acting the part of the dove.

"At a meeting, somebody said that EVE should be like the dove in the Noah's Ark story. We thought "that'll work". We rejiggered the story so her job is to bring that plant back to the ship and signal that it's safe to go back to Earth" - _{^{Jim Reardon - Head of story/writer}}

That being the case, the twig was inspired by Genesis 8:11 and would have been an olive branch

And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.