Common Name:

General Information

Ilex brevicuspis is an evergreen tree with a longish, pyramidal crown; it can grow 10 - 20 metres tall. The bole can be 30 - 60cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its leaves, which are sometimes used medicinally and for making maté, and also for its wood. An ornamental tree, it has potential for use in landscaping[].

Known Hazards

Although no specific reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, Ilex species in general contain several potentially toxic compounds, particularly saponins, glycosides and triterpenoids. These compounds also often have a range of potential health benefits[, , ].
The berries are usually the part of the plant most likely to be toxic, though the degree of toxicity is usually low. Their bitter flavour usually prevents a person eating more than one or two, but even a small handful of the fruit eaten by a healthy adult is unlikely to cause more than feelings of nausea that can lead on to vomiting and diarrhoea[].
The compounds in the leaves are particularly interesting. The leaves of many Ilex species around the world are commonly used to make health-promoting teas that, when drunk on a regular basis, help to regulate bodily functions and can reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood-cholesterol levels etc (See Ilex paraguariensis or Ilex kaushue for examples)[]. Even these teas, however, if taken in very concentrated doses, can act as a laxative or cause vomiting. Indeed, several species are used by traditional peoples to induce vomiting as a means of purifying the body (see Ilex guayusa or Ilex vomitoria for examples)

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Paraguay, southern and eastern Brazil, Bolivia.

Habitat

An understorey tree in Araucaria forest and in the Atlantic rainforest[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Insects, Butterflies
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in full sun and in moderate shade[]. Ilex species generally tolerate most soils that are not water-logged[].
The plant is quite slow-growing[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

The leaves are sometimes used in a blend to make maté tea, but it is not generally pleasing to the consumer[]. The leaves are frequently used as an adulteration of maté[].

Medicinal

The leaves are sometimes used to make maté tea[]. They have been shown to have a range of beneficial actions upon the body including removing free radicals, increasing the flow of bile and thus improving fat metabolism, improving the removal of waste products from the digestive tract. They do not have a stimulant effect upon the central nervous system[].

Other Uses

The heartwood and sapwood are not clearly differentiated and oxidise rapidly after cutting. The wood is thick-textured, straight-grained, moderately heavy, soft, with moderate mechanical properties and very low durability. An easy to work timber, but only used locally for making boxes and boards in general[]. With its attractive appearance and ease of working with, it has the potential for making wood laminates[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the seed in a partially shaded position in a nursery seedbed. Germination can be expected within 30 - 50 days[]. When the seedlings have 4 - 6 leaves, pot them up into individual containers and they should be ready to plant out about 10 months later[].
The seed has a viability in storage of more than 1 year[].

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