Ilex affinis Gardner

A shrub or small tree. It grows 4-8 m high. The crown is long and dense. The trunk is 30-45 cm across. The leaves are simple, alternate and papery. The leaves are slightly wavy along the edge. The leaves are 12 cm long and 3.5-5 cm wide. The flowers are in groups in the axils of leaves. The flowers are white and have a smell. The fruit are fleshy and dark blue. There is one seed with a small layer of pulp around it.

A tropical plant. It grows in the Amazon in Brazil in semi-deciduous forest. In Argentina it grows between 100-1,500 m above sea level.

The leaves are used as a substitute for mate tea.

Plants can be grown from seed. The ripe fruit are harvested and allowed to rot in a plastic bag to make it easy to remove the seed. The seeds are washed in running water. Fresh seed are planted and germinate in 3-5 months.