Data of <b>Morphological characteristics and caffeine content of ancestral varieties of Guayusa (</b><b><i>Ilex guayusa </i></b><b>Loes) from the Amazonia</b>ntitled Item

Guayusa (Ilex guayusa Loes) is an Amazonian plant from Ecuador, valued for its caffeine and antioxidants content. Its traditional collection and cultivation in small plots is at risk due to deforestation and human activities. This study collected and analyzed the caffeine content and morphological attributes of 17 plants in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The caffeine content obtained in the 17 analyzed specimens showed extremes of 0.26 and 6.94 % of dry matter. Within the ancestral varieties, Yura Guayusa presented significantly (P &lt;0.05) higher content (6.94%) and the Limoncocha variety the lowest (0.26%), although without significant differences (P &lt;0.05) with the Multiyaku Guayusa and Guayusa morada varieties. The morphological measurements -length of internodes and petioles, and with respect to the leaves, area, perimeter, circularity, length, width and color- determined significant differences (P&lt;0.05) in each of them, between the different plants. A significant (P&lt;0.05) positive medium to high correlation of 0.6445 was determined between caffeine content and altitude above sea level.