Yerba Mate is from the green tea family and is famous in central and south America and Brazil

It is commonly used as a beverage typically in a hollow gourd up to three quarters full with dry leaves and twigs and filling it up with water at a temperature of 70 to 80 °C  or 158 to 176 °F hot but not boiling

Sugar may or may not be added and the Mate may be prepared with cold water Tereré

It is a species of the holly family Aquifoliaceae with the botanical name Ilex paraguariensis

Yerba mate is widely known as the source of the beverage called mate 

 It is traditionally consumed in central and southern regions of South America particularly Argentina Uruguay Paraguay southern and central western Brazil

The Chaco region of Bolivia and southern Chile

 It is also very popular in Lebanon and Levantine region