Ilex paraguariensis St.Hil., Aquifoliaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 8 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Brazilian tea, Paraguay tea, Paraguayan tea, mate, yerba mate

French: thé du Paraguay

Spanish: maté, yerba maté

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Evergreen shrubs or small trees 4-7 m tall.  Leaves dark green, coriaceous, elliptic to obovate, 2.5-13 (-25) cm long, 2-6.4 cm wide, margins undulate and coarsely crenate in the upper 2/3.  Flowers in numerous small cymes along the current year's growth, usually 1-2 cm long, peduncles 0.5-0.8 cm long; calyx lobes 4, 0.4-0.6 mm long; corolla lobes usually 4-5, 1.5-2 mm long; ovary 4-celled" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 224).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "cultivated and sparingly naturalized in mesic valleys" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 224).

Propagation:  Seed, spread by birds (Staples et al., 2000; p. 16).

Native range:  Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 224).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 224) Voucher cited: Grant 7544 (BISH)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Ilex paraguariensis, please let us know.