In the Genesis flood narrative, what did the dove carry back to Noah?

In the Genesis flood narrative, the dove carried an olive leaf back to Noah.

The dove returned in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf, giving Noah evidence that the floodwaters had receded from the earth. This moment occurs between earlier bird releases and the final release, when the dove does not return. The leaf is therefore a sign of emerging vegetation and a practical clue that the environment outside the ark was changing.

The phrase has become a widely recognized symbol of peace, although its original narrative function is more specific: it reports the condition of the land after the flood. The story does not say that the dove carried an entire branch or a flower. It specifically identifies an olive leaf.