100 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
tion’of 1855. St.-Hilaire states that he had compared his 
plant from CuiTtiba 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 ixuQ Ilex Par aguayensis sent by Bonpland, 
I find the two sufiiciently distinct, as will be seen by the dia- 
gnoses that will follow : this fact is of interest, as it accounts at 
once for the diffei’ence 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 Yerha 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 experienee, his aceount 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 
very 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 colleeted. Upon the eastern declivities, along the tribu- 
taries of the rivers Pardo and Jacuhy, are the ‘ Hervales ^ of 
Faxinal, Santa Cruz, and Guayara 9 a, to whieh Bonpland^s speci- 
mens refer. Here also is that of Butacarahy, equally renowned. 
