Yerba mate, also known as Paraguayan tea, is obtained from the leaf of a flowering, evergreen tree that is native to South America and related to the common holly. Traditionally, the tea is prepared by placing the dried leaves of the tree inside a hollowed gourd called a mathi and then pouring hot water on top. Once infused, the beverage is sipped through a tube called a bombilla. Although the herb wasn’t formerly documented until 1822, yerba mate has been in use by South American indigenous people for centuries and remains an important economic crop for the region today.