Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil., from the family of holy plants, Aquifoliaceae, is a native South American tree that can reach 18 m in height and is used to produce “yerba mate”. It is found primarily in the southern regions of South America, namely, Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Parana, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo), Argentina (Corrientes, Misiones), Paraguay (Alto Paraná, Amambay, Caaguazú, Canendiyú, Central, Guaira, Itapuá, Misiones,
San Pedro), and Uruguay. “Yerba mate” tea, an infusion made from the leaves of this tree, is a widely consumed nonalcoholic beverage in South America which is gaining rapid introduction into the world market, either as tea itself or as ingredient
in formulated foods or dietary supplements. The indigenous people have used it for centuries as a social and medicinal beverage. The container in which it is generally served is a gourd made from the dry and hollowed fruit of Lagenaria vulgaris Ser. (Cucurbitaceae), whose dimensions vary according the region and uses. It is called “mate” in the region. “Mate” has a very important social role. The act of offering and sharing it has connotations like those of the tea ceremony for some Oriental cultures.

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La legislación uruguaya protege el derecho de autor sobre toda creación literaria, científica o artística, tanto en lo que tiene que ver con sus derechos morales, como en lo referente a los derechos patrimoniales con sujeción a lo establecido por el derecho común y las siguientes leyes (LEY 9.739 DE 17 DE DICIEMBRE DE 1937 SOBRE PROPIEDAD LITERARIA Y ARTISTICA CON LAS MODIFICACIONES INTRODUCIDAS POR LA LEY DE DERECHO DE AUTOR Y DERECHOS CONEXOS No. 17.616 DE 10 DE ENERO DE 2003, LEY 17.805 DE 26 DE AGOSTO DE 2004, LEY 18.046 DE 24 DE OCTUBRE DE 2006 LEY 18.046 DE 24 DE OCTUBRE DE 2006)