[ stop the slideshow ]

Sambucus ebulus Linnaeus, 1753

Sambucus ebulus-Puivert.jpg <b><i>Onobrychis viciifolia</b></i> Scop., 1772Thumbnails<b><i>Crataegus azarolus</b></i> Linnaeus, 1753<b><i>Onobrychis viciifolia</b></i> Scop., 1772Thumbnails<b><i>Crataegus azarolus</b></i> Linnaeus, 1753<b><i>Onobrychis viciifolia</b></i> Scop., 1772Thumbnails<b><i>Crataegus azarolus</b></i> Linnaeus, 1753<b><i>Onobrychis viciifolia</b></i> Scop., 1772Thumbnails<b><i>Crataegus azarolus</b></i> Linnaeus, 1753<b><i>Onobrychis viciifolia</b></i> Scop., 1772Thumbnails<b><i>Crataegus azarolus</b></i> Linnaeus, 1753<b><i>Onobrychis viciifolia</b></i> Scop., 1772Thumbnails<b><i>Crataegus azarolus</b></i> Linnaeus, 1753

Sambucus ebulus Linnaeus, 1753
Common names: Danewort, Dane Weed, Danesblood, Dwarf Elder [En], Sureau hièble, Sureau yèble, Hièble, Yèble [Fr], Kruidvlier [Nl], Zwerg-Holunder, Attich [De], Saúco menor, Yezgo [Es], Ζαμπούκος ο έβουλος [Gr], Bodur mürver, Mürver çiçeği, Cüce mürver [Tu]

Puivert, AUDE ● France

Description: Herbaceous species of elder growing to 1-2 m tall, with erect, usually unbranched stems growing in large groups from an extensive perennial underground rhizome. The leaves are opposite, pinnate, 15-30 cm long, with 5-9 leaflets with a foetid smell. The stems terminate in a corymb 10-15 cm diameter with numerous white (occasionally pink) flowers. The fruit is a small glossy black berry 5-6 mm diameter. The ripe fruit give out a purple juice.

Biology: S. ebulus flowers from July to August and its seeds ripen from August to September and die down in winter. It however, spreads by vigorous underground rhizomes to form large colonies.

Habitat: Waste ground, woods, hedgerows and scrubs, especially on calcareous soils.

Distribution: Europe, including Britain, from the Netherlands south and east to the Mediterranean and Himalayas.

Uses: S. ebulus has pharmacological functions including anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic, anti-oxidative effects, among others.

Caution: The fruit of this species has been known to cause stomach upsets to some people. Any toxin the fruit might contain is liable to be of very low toxicity and is destroyed when the fruit is cooked.

References:
Wikipedia, Sambucus ebulus
Plants For A Future
Shokrzadeh M. & Saeedi Saravi S. S., 2010. The chemistry, pharmacology and clinical properties of Sambucus ebulus: A review, Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 4(2), pp. 095-103.