Perennial herbs, shrubs or small trees; plants glabrous or indumentum of simple, stellate or rarely peltate scales, glandular or eglandular. Leaves opposite (rarely whorled), simple, pinnately or twice-ternately compound, usually petiolate; leaf or leaflet lamina margins often serrate; stipules present or absent, sometimes glandular. Inflorescence a terminal panicle, true or false umbel, spike (not in Australia) or head-like cyme. Flowers usually bisexual, ± actinomorphic, sometimes with sterile flowers around periphery of inflorescence. Calyx open; sepals 2–5, connate, reduced, persistent. Corolla rotate; petals (3–) 4–5 (–6), connate, the corolla tube sometimes very short. Stamens 5, sometimes divided and appearing as 10, adnate to base of corolla, antepetalous; anthers tetrasporangiate, dithecal, basifixed or dorsifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Gynoecium of 2–5 connate carpels. Ovary inferior or half-inferior, 1–several locular, some locules occasionally sterile, sometimes with apical glandular tissue that produces nectar (Viburnum); styles absent or short and terminal; stigma capitate or lobed. Ovule 1 per locule; placentation axile. Nectary of different types or absent. Fruit a drupe with 1 pyrene (in Viburnum) or up to 5 (in Adoxa and Sambucus). Endosperm oily, copious.
Numerous species of Sambucus and Viburnum are important as ornamentals and hedge plants, e.g. Viburnum tinus (Laurustinus). Sambucus canadensis (American Elder, American Black Elderberry, Canada Elderberry, Sweet Elder, Common Elderberry) and S. caerulea (Blue Elderberry, Blue Elder) from North America have edible fruits used in sauces, jellies, wine, etc.; other species are the source of blue dye. Sambucus nigra (Common Elder, Elderberry) fruits have medicinal uses and are used to brew elderberry wine and as a source of a dye. The fruit and bark of some Viburnum species are used for medicinal purposes; the wood has been used for arrows and a range of domestic applications. Viburnum opulus (Guelder Rose, Water Elder) berries are used as a Cranberry sauce substitute; other species of Viburnum have edible berries but others are poisonous.
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