390 Mr. J. Miers on the History of the ' Mate' Plant. 



tion' of 1855. St.-Hilaire states that he had compared his 

 plant from Curitiba with specimens from Paraguay, and found 

 them specifically identical : this conclusion does not correspond 

 with the specimens before me. 



I have since obtained from Curitiba a specimen of the plant 

 there used in the preparation of the Herva de Paranagua. On 

 comparing it with the true Ilex Paraguay 'ensis sent by Bonpland, 

 I find the two sufficiently distinct, as will be seen by the dia- 

 gnoses that will follow : this fact is of interest, as it accounts at 

 once for the difference in the quality of the tea respectively pre- 

 pared from these two plants. 



Hitherto I have spoken only of the Yerba produced from these 

 two species. Bonpland, however, states positively that the other 

 species, of which he sent specimens, are also employed in the 

 preparation of the Yerba of commerce. This fact has lately 

 been confirmed by the assurance I have received from a Brazilian 

 gentleman from Porto Alegre, who trades extensively in this 

 commodity : his information is very interesting, both as regards 

 the difference in the quality of these products, and the districts 

 in which the trees are found ; and from his knowledge of this 

 matter and his long experience, his account may be fully depended 

 on. The other species grow principally in the districts that 

 stretch far to the eastward and southward of the long mountain- 

 range which extends from the ' ' Serra Geral " of Curitiba, in 

 lat. 26° S., to lat. 32° S., where it is shown in the maps as the 

 " Serra do Herval/' so called from the abundance of its Mate 

 trees. The summits of this wide-spread mountain-range are 

 vei*y broad, forming numerous table-lands which afford excellent 

 pasturage for cattle. The Mate trees are never found on these 

 table-lands, nor in the broad plains that skirt the river-beds : 

 they grow invariably on the inclined hill-sides in the numerous 

 gorges intersecting the country, which in most cases are densely 

 wooded; and it is in these woods that the different species of 

 Ilex abound. In some places the Mate trees attain a consider- 

 able size, often exceeding 100 feet in height. These larger trees 

 grow especially on the declivities of the western side of the same 

 mountain-range, where all the streams flow into the river Uru- 

 guay. The Yerba here produced is of an excellent quality: 

 that called by the Brazilians " Herva de Palmeira " is renowned 

 as being equal to the best Paraguay tea. 



It is in this region that seven of the far-famed Missions esta- 

 blished by the Jesuits are situated, where the Mate is exten- 

 sively collected. Upon the eastern declivities, along the tribu- 

 taries of the rivers Pardo and Jacuhy, are the ! Hervales ' of 

 Faxinal, Santa Cruz, and Guayaraca, to which Bonpland' s speci- 

 mens refer. Here also is that of Butacarahy, equally renowned, 



