Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs, less frequently perennial herbs, or small trees.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple or compound: ternate, biternate, ternate-pinnate, biternate-pinnate, or odd-pinnate. Opposite. Stipules present or absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences terminal panicles or umbellate, spicate, or capitate cymes. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx connate, (3-)5-merous. Corolla connate, (3-)5-merous. Stamens 5 (Sambucus, Viburnum) or 5, 4, or 3 (Adoxa, Sinadoxa), alternate corolla lobes, inserted on corolla tube; filaments cleft into 2 semi-stamens (in Adoxa, Sinadoxa); anthers 1-celled, peltate, extrorse, longitudinally dehiscent; staminodes 5, 4, or 3, in inner whorl, opposite corolla lobes. Ovary semi-inferior to inferior, 1- or 3-5-loculed; styles 5, 4, or 3, connate or free, or absent; stigmas capitate or 2- or 3-fid.

Fruit: Drupes. Seeds 1 or 3–5.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range: