yerba mate

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• yerba mate
• Brazilian-tea
• Paraguayan-tea
• Yerba Maté

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Aquifoliales, it is classified under the family Aquifoliaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by its placement within the genus Ilex.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a fascinating and wide-reaching geographical distribution across several distinct regions. Within South America, it is prominently found throughout various parts of Brazil, including the Northeast and Southeast territories. Its presence is also well-documented in the Brazil West-Central and Brazil South regions. Beyond the South American continent, the species extends its range into the North-Central Pacific. Specifically, this unique distribution includes the islands of Hawaii.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ilex paraguariensis is characterized by its specific preference for low-lying, moisture-rich environments, primarily thriving within the "bosque bajo" (understory) on saturated soil. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, occupying a wide elevational range that begins at sea level (0 m AMSL) and extends up to a maximum of 1200 m AMSL. Its ability to colonize these waterlogged substrates within the forest understory dictates its role in the local ecosystem, where it adapts to high soil moisture levels across varying topographical gradients.

Elevational range max:

1200 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Bosque bajo on saturated soil

Genetics

The genetics of Ilex paraguariensis are characterized by a specific karyotype that serves as a fundamental cytogenetic marker for the species. A defining feature of its genome is its chromosome number, which is documented as 40. This chromosomal configuration plays a critical role in the plant's reproductive biology and its ability to maintain genetic stability within its natural habitats. The precise arrangement and number of these chromosomes contribute to the complex inheritance patterns observed in the species, influencing the expression of various physiological and biochemical traits. Understanding this chromosomal basis is essential for studying the evolutionary lineage and the genetic diversity inherent in the species' population structure.

Chromosome number :

40

Life history

The life history of Ilex paraguariensis is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to maintain its presence in its natural habitat over many years. As an evergreen plant, it retains its foliage throughout the seasons, providing continuous vegetative cover and ensuring a steady photosynthetic capacity regardless of the time of year. This combination of a long-lived lifecycle and permanent greenery enables the plant to establish stable populations within its ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Ilex paraguariensis is characterized by a woody growth form, specifically manifesting as a tree. This species is a terrestrial plant that functions as an independent organism, lacking parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, it is a substantial plant with a height that typically reaches a mean of 8 meters, though it can range from a minimum of 4 meters to a maximum of 15 meters. Structurally, it is classified as a self-supporting plant rather than a climber, liana, or vine, and it maintains a terrestrial existence without exhibiting epiphytic behavior.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

15 m

Plant height mean:

8 m

Plant height min:

4 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ilex paraguariensis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency within its native environment. The plant's vegetative structure is defined by its foliage, where leaf dimensions vary significantly; the leaves typically exhibit a length ranging from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 13 cm, while their width spans from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 6.4 cm. Furthermore, this species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil rather than through symbiotic biological nitrogen fixation.

Leaf length max:

13 cm

Leaf length min:

2.5 cm

Leaf width max:

6.4 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Ilex paraguariensis has 2 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem.

Leaf

1. Journal of food science
2. Journal of chromatography. A
3. Journal of natural products
4. Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM
5. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Stem

1. Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM

Chemicals

Ilex paraguariensis has 39 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include caffeine, Flavonoids, RUTIN, Ursolic acid, theobromine.

caffeine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food & function
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR
4. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Flavonoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Food chemistry

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Ursolic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

theobromine

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

theophylline

1. Dr. Duke
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

2,5-Xylenol

1. Dr. Duke

4-Oxolauric acid

1. Dr. Duke

5-O-Caffeoylquinic acid

1. Dr. Duke

Ash

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Ilex paraguariensis has 344 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antinociceptive, Diuretic, Hepatoprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Life sciences

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antinociceptive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food science

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food science

Hypocholesterolemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of food science

Stimulant

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one

(+)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Ilex paraguariensis has 23 reported investigations on conditions identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include obesity, hypertension, inflammation, Glioblastoma, Gliomas.

Obesity

1. Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Pharmacological research
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hypertension

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Pharmacological research

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pharmacological research

Glioblastoma

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Gliomas

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)

Parkinson's disease

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Appetite

1. Complementary therapies in medicine

Arthritis

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Blood pressure

1. Pharmacological research

Cancers

1. Journal of food science

Preparations

Ilex paraguariensis has 13 reported preparations identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include dried leaves, "erva mate", Ryupunghwan (RPH), Standardized extracts, Yerba Mate tea.

Dried leaves

1. Journal of chromatography. A
2. Annals of agricultural and environmental medicine : AAEM

"erva mate"

1. Journal of natural products

Ryupunghwan (rph)

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Standardized extracts

1. Chemical research in toxicology

Yerba mate tea

1. Journal of food science

Butanol extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Herbal tea

1. Life sciences

Hydroalcohol extract

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Infusion

1. Journal of food science

Leaves

1. Journal of natural products