What is Jesuit's tea?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
December 30, 2002
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading: Click here.
Various species of holly (Ilex Linnaeus) have been used medicinally since ancient times. Romans cultivated holly (Ilex aquifolium Linnaeus) in their gardens. Pliny the Elder stated, "A mixture of crushed holly-leaves and salt is good for diseases of the joints, while holly-berries are beneficial for menstruation pains, stomach disorders, dysentery and cholera. Taken in wine the berries arrest diarrhea. If the boiled root is applied to the skin it extracts embedded objects, and it is extremely useful for dislocations and swellings." (Natural History, trans John F. Healy, 1991)
North American natives used yaupon (Ilex vomitoria Aiton) as the basis of their black drink. Black drink was a purgative intended to clean out the body during purification rituals. Combined with sweat lodges, warriors were probably left tired and weak.
Among anthropologists there is conjecture that possibly a different brew strength of the black drink was used before battles--the caffeine content acting to stimulate and incite the warriors to a fever pitch. Or the dahoon (Ilex cassine Linnaeus) may have been the pre-battle drink of choice. Dahoon leaves were substituted for China tea during the Civil War. The practice apparently continued among those who could not afford 'real' tea in the post-war southern states.
South American natives had their own 'tea' ritual when Spanish missionaries arrived. Leaves of the yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis Saint-Hilaire) are collected and heat dried from December to August. The leaves are placed in el maté, a decorated gourd (Lagenaria vulgaris) cup and warm water added. The drink is sipped through la bombilla, a straw with a strainer at the bottom end.
Yerba maté is a stimulant drink containing caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine, alkaloids also found in coffee and chocolate. The tea became so popular with Jesuit missionaries, they began cultivating the holly. In parts of South America, it is called chá-dos-jesuitas, the Jesuit's tea.
The Argentina Ministerio de Educación, Ciencia, y Tecnología has a page showing various photographs of el maté y la bombilla, the proper serving vessel for yerba maté. To view the page, click on the link:
http://tq.educ.ar/grp0001/matesg.htm
Clube da Semente do Brasil has great photographs of Ilex paraguariensis including close-ups of the bark, wood, and berries. To view the photographs, click on the link:
http://www.clubedasemente.org.br/mate.html
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading:
What was Jesuit Powder? Plants that Changed History - April 30, 2002
Who was José Celestino Mutis? Plants that Changed History - May 20, 2003
What is gin and tonic? What's in a Name? - May 23, 2003
What are flowers of benjamin? Plants that Changed History - June 22, 2004
How was ipecac discovered? What's in a Name? - January 10, 2003
Why was ginseng named Panax? What's in a Name? - December 28, 2001
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