Sambucus canadensis (American black elderberry)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Summary of Invasiveness
- Taxonomic Tree
- Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Description
- Plant Type
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- History of Introduction and Spread
- Habitat
- Habitat List
- Biology and Ecology
- Climate
- Latitude/Altitude Ranges
- Air Temperature
- Rainfall
- Soil Tolerances
- Natural enemies
- Notes on Natural Enemies
- Means of Movement and Dispersal
- Pathway Causes
- Pathway Vectors
- Impact Summary
- Environmental Impact
- Social Impact
- Risk and Impact Factors
- Uses
- Uses List
- Wood Products
- Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
- References
- Links to Websites
- Contributors
- Distribution Maps
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Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Sambucus canadensis L.
Preferred Common Name
- American black elderberry
Other Scientific Names
- Aralia sololensis Donn.Sm.
- Sambucus mexicana C.Presl ex DC.
- Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis (L.) Bolli
- Sambucus oreopola Donn.Sm.
- Sambucus simpsonii Rehder
International Common Names
- English: American elder; Arizona elderberry; dane-wort; dwarf elder; hairy blue elderberry; New Mexican elderberry; sweet elder; tree of music; velvet-leaf elder; wale-wort; wild elder
- Spanish: flor sauco; sauco blanco; sauco del Canada
- French: sirop blanc; sureau blanc; sureau d'Amérique; sureau du Canada
Local Common Names
- Germany: Kanadischer Holunder; Nordamerikanischer Holunder
- Netherlands: Amerikaanse vlier
- South Africa: kanadese vlier
EPPO code
- SAMCN (Sambucus canadensis)
Summary of Invasiveness
Top of pageSambucus canadensis is a deciduous multi-stemmed shrub or small tree native to North America and Central America. It has been extensively cultivated as an ornamental and for its fruits. This species has escaped cultivation and can be found colonizing disturbed areas along roadsides and railroad lines and in disturbed thickets and forest edges. It is a fast-growing species that spreads by seed but can also spread aggressively by underground rhizomes. Currently, S. canadensis is listed as invasive in South Africa and Cuba where it is altering successional processes in disturbed areas. It also has a shallow, aggressive root system with the potential to displace native vegetation.
Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Spermatophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Dicotyledonae
- Order: Dipsacales
- Family: Caprifoliaceae
- Genus: Sambucus
- Species: Sambucus canadensis
Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Top of pageThe genus Sambucus has been traditionally placed within the family Caprifoliaceae. However, both morphological and DNA studies have demonstrated that the genera Sambucus, Adoxa and Viburnum form a monophyletic group clearly separated from the remainder of the Caprifoliaceae (Donoghue et al., 1992; Eriksson and Donoghue, 1997; Donoghue et al., 2001). To accomplish the removal of these genera from Caprifoliaceae, it was suggested that these genera might either be placed in their own families (e.g. Adoxaceae, Sambucaceae, Viburnaceae), or treated as a single family, Adoxaceae (Applequist, 2015). In 2009, the APG (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group) III recommended placing all these genera into Adoxaceae (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, 2009). However, since then the circumscription and correct name for the combined family has been very controversial. In 2013, the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants recommended the use of Viburnaceae based on revisions of the ‘publication date’ of the names (Reveal, 2008; Applequist, 2013). In 2016, the General Committee for Botanical Nomenclature decided that the correct name for this combined family should be Viburnaceae (Wilson, 2016).
Sambucus canadensis was previously treated as a subspecies of the European elderberry S. nigra as S. nigra subsp. canadensis. However, it is now considered a separate species native to North America (USDA-ARS, 2020).
Description
Top of pageThe following description is from Spjut (2015) and Flora of Missouri (2020):
Rhizomatous or stoloniferous subshrubs or shrubs, or multi-stemmed small trees, 1-10 m tall, usually with stout, spreading rootstocks and suckering from the roots. Bark yellowish brown, tight, lacking ridges but appearing roughened or warty. Twigs 3-5 mm thick, the pith white. Leaves with the petiole 3-7 cm long, glabrous except in the ventral groove, where densely pubescent with minute, scurfy hairs. Leaflets (5-)7-9 per leaf, 5-12(-14) cm long, 2-6(-9) cm wide, lanceolate to narrowly oblong or elliptic, the upper surface glabrous, the undersurface usually minutely hairy along the veins, rarely also hairy on the tissue between the veins. Inflorescences more or less flat-topped, lacking an elongate main axis, instead with usually five primary branches (these repeatedly branched). Corollas 3-5 mm wide, white. Fruit is a drupe bright red prior to turning purple-black, 5 mm diameter.
Distribution
Top of pageSambucus canadensis is native to North America (Canada, USA and Mexico) and Central America. It has been introduced in South America, the Caribbean, tropical Asia and Africa and Australia (Charlebois et al., 2010; Acevedo-Rodríguez and Strong, 2012; POWO, 2020; USDA-ARS, 2020).
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 10 Feb 2022Continent/Country/Region | Distribution | Last Reported | Origin | First Reported | Invasive | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Africa |
|||||||
Burundi | Present | Introduced | |||||
Rwanda | Present | Introduced | |||||
South Africa | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Zimbabwe | Present | Introduced | 1965 | ||||
Asia |
|||||||
Bangladesh | Present | Introduced | |||||
Bhutan | Present | Introduced | 2001 | ||||
Cambodia | Present | Introduced | |||||
India | Present | Introduced | |||||
Indonesia | Present | Introduced | |||||
-Java | Present | Introduced | |||||
-Lesser Sunda Islands | Present | Introduced | |||||
Laos | Present | Introduced | |||||
Thailand | Present | Introduced | |||||
Vietnam | Present | Introduced | |||||
Europe |
|||||||
Belgium | Present | Introduced | Naturalized | ||||
Spain | Present | Introduced | Canary Islands | ||||
-Canary Islands | Present | Introduced | |||||
United Kingdom | Present | Introduced | 1943 | ||||
North America |
|||||||
Barbados | Present | Introduced | |||||
Belize | Present | Native | |||||
Bermuda | Present | Introduced | |||||
Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba | |||||||
-Sint Eustatius | Present | Introduced | |||||
Canada | Present | Native | |||||
-Manitoba | Present | Native | |||||
-New Brunswick | Present | Native | |||||
-Nova Scotia | Present | Native | |||||
-Ontario | Present | Native | |||||
-Quebec | Present | Native | |||||
Cayman Islands | Present | Introduced | |||||
Costa Rica | Present | Native | |||||
Cuba | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Dominica | Present | Introduced | |||||
Dominican Republic | Present | Introduced | |||||
El Salvador | Present | Native | |||||
Guadeloupe | Present | Introduced | |||||
Guatemala | Present | Native | |||||
Haiti | Present | Introduced | |||||
Honduras | Present | Native | |||||
Jamaica | Present | Introduced | |||||
Martinique | Present | Introduced | |||||
Mexico | Present | Native | |||||
Netherlands Antilles | Present | Introduced | |||||
Nicaragua | Present | Native | |||||
Panama | Present | Native | |||||
Puerto Rico | Present | Introduced | |||||
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Present | Introduced | |||||
Trinidad and Tobago | Present | Introduced | |||||
United States | Present | Native | |||||
-Alabama | Present | Native | |||||
-Alaska | Present | Native | |||||
-Arizona | Present | Native | |||||
-Arkansas | Present | Native | |||||
-California | Present | Native | |||||
-Colorado | Present | Native | |||||
-Connecticut | Present | Native | |||||
-Delaware | Present | Native | |||||
-District of Columbia | Present | Native | |||||
-Florida | Present | ||||||
-Georgia | Present | ||||||
-Illinois | Present | Native | |||||
-Indiana | Present | Native | |||||
-Iowa | Present | Native | |||||
-Kansas | Present | Native | |||||
-Kentucky | Present | Native | |||||
-Louisiana | Present | Native | |||||
-Maine | Present | Native | |||||
-Maryland | Present | Native | |||||
-Massachusetts | Present | Native | |||||
-Michigan | Present | Native | |||||
-Minnesota | Present | Native | |||||
-Mississippi | Present | Native | |||||
-Missouri | Present | Native | |||||
-Montana | Present | Native | |||||
-Nebraska | Present | Native | |||||
-New Hampshire | Present | Native | |||||
-New Jersey | Present | Native | |||||
-New Mexico | Present | Native | |||||
-New York | Present | Native | |||||
-North Carolina | Present | Native | |||||
-North Dakota | Present | Native | |||||
-Ohio | Present | Native | |||||
-Oklahoma | Present | Native | |||||
-Oregon | Present | ||||||
-Pennsylvania | Present | Native | |||||
-Rhode Island | Present | Native | |||||
-South Carolina | Present | Native | |||||
-South Dakota | Present | Native | |||||
-Tennessee | Present | Native | |||||
-Texas | Present | Native | |||||
-Utah | Present | Native | |||||
-Vermont | Present | Native | |||||
-Virginia | Present | Native | |||||
-West Virginia | Present | Native | |||||
-Wisconsin | Present | Native | |||||
-Wyoming | Present | Native | |||||
Oceania |
|||||||
Australia | Present | Introduced | 2000 | ||||
-Queensland | Present | Introduced | Naturalized | naturalized in Northeast Queensland on parts of the Atherton Tableland mainly at higher elevations, over 800 m | |||
South America |
|||||||
Bolivia | Present | Introduced | |||||
Brazil | Present | Introduced | |||||
-Acre | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Amapa | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Distrito Federal | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Goias | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Mato Grosso | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Mato Grosso do Sul | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Para | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Parana | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Rio de Janeiro | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Rio Grande do Sul | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Santa Catarina | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
-Sao Paulo | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
Colombia | Present | Native | |||||
Ecuador | Present | Introduced | Cultivated | ||||
Venezuela | Present | Status uncertain |
History of Introduction and Spread
Top of pageIn Belgium, S. canadensis is regarded as ‘escaped from cultivation’ and was first collected in the wild in 1972. Now, it grows in deciduous woodland in habitats similar to those of the native S. nigra (Alien plants of Belgium, 2020).
Habitat
Top of pageSambucus canadensis commonly grows in moist and wet open places, swamps and damp places, riverbanks, lakeshores, meadows, pastures, woodlands, oak forests, riparian forests and along canals. It can also be found colonizing disturbed areas along roadsides and railroad lines and in disturbed thickets and forest edges (Stevens, 2001; Charlebois et al., 2010; Spjut, 2015; Flora of Missouri, 2020).
Habitat List
Top of pageCategory | Sub-Category | Habitat | Presence | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Terrestrial | Managed | Managed forests, plantations and orchards | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Managed | Managed forests, plantations and orchards | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Managed forests, plantations and orchards | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Disturbed areas | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Managed | Disturbed areas | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Disturbed areas | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Rail / roadsides | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Managed | Rail / roadsides | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Rail / roadsides | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Urban / peri-urban areas | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Managed | Urban / peri-urban areas | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Urban / peri-urban areas | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural forests | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural forests | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural forests | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural grasslands | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural grasslands | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural grasslands | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Riverbanks | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Riverbanks | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Riverbanks | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Wetlands | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Wetlands | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Wetlands | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Scrub / shrublands | Present, no further details | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Scrub / shrublands | Present, no further details | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Scrub / shrublands | Present, no further details | Productive/non-natural |
Biology and Ecology
Top of pageGenetics
The chromosome number reported for S. canadensis is 2n = 36 (Spjut, 2015; USDA-ARS, 2020).
Reproductive Biology
Flowers of S. canadensis do not have nectaries and it is thought that this species is pollinated by wind (Charlebois et al., 2010).
Physiology and Phenology
In North America, S. canadensis produces flowers from May to September and fruits from July to October (Stevens, 2001). In tropical areas, it produces flowers and fruits throughout the year (Charlebois et al., 2010). The flowers are faintly perfumed.
Longevity
Sambucus canadensis is a short-lived perennial species. In the wild, plants often produce flowers and fruit after 2-3 years and can reach full size in 3-4 years (Stevens, 2001).
Associations
In North America, elderberries are important sources of summer food for many species of songbirds, grouse, pheasant and pigeons (Martin et al., 1951; Stevens, 2001).
The valley elderberry longhorn beetle, Desmocerus californicus dimorphus, a species listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act, uses S. canadensis as a food plant. The elderberry beetle is endemic to oak [Quercus] woodlands in Sacramento and the upper San Joaquin Valley of California where S. canadensis grows. The primary threat to this beetle species is loss of habitat, insecticide and herbicide use and lack of elderberry shrubs as a food plant (Stevens, 2001; US Fish & Wildlife Service, 2017).
Environmental Requirements
Sambucus canadensis can grow in temperate, tropical and subtropical climates with mean annual precipitation ranging from 400 mm to >2000 mm and mean annual temperature ranging from 5°C to 20°C (tolerates temperatures down to -20°C). In the northern part of its distribution range, this species overwinters in temperatures as low as -40°C. S. canadensis grows best in moist soils with pH ranging from 4.2 to 8.0. It is adapted to grow in swamps and bogs and in transition zones between wetland and upland (Stevens, 2001; Charlebois et al., 2010).
Climate
Top of pageClimate | Status | Description | Remark |
---|---|---|---|
Am - Tropical monsoon climate | Tolerated | Tropical monsoon climate ( < 60mm precipitation driest month but > (100 - [total annual precipitation(mm}/25])) | |
As - Tropical savanna climate with dry summer | Tolerated | < 60mm precipitation driest month (in summer) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25]) | |
Aw - Tropical wet and dry savanna climate | Tolerated | < 60mm precipitation driest month (in winter) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25]) | |
Cs - Warm temperate climate with dry summer | Preferred | Warm average temp. > 10°C, Cold average temp. > 0°C, dry summers | |
Cw - Warm temperate climate with dry winter | Preferred | Warm temperate climate with dry winter (Warm average temp. > 10°C, Cold average temp. > 0°C, dry winters) | |
Cf - Warm temperate climate, wet all year | Tolerated | Warm average temp. > 10°C, Cold average temp. > 0°C, wet all year | |
Ds - Continental climate with dry summer | Tolerated | Continental climate with dry summer (Warm average temp. > 10°C, coldest month < 0°C, dry summers) |
Latitude/Altitude Ranges
Top of pageLatitude North (°N) | Latitude South (°S) | Altitude Lower (m) | Altitude Upper (m) |
---|---|---|---|
45 | 30 |
Air Temperature
Top of pageParameter | Lower limit | Upper limit |
---|---|---|
Absolute minimum temperature (ºC) | -40 | |
Mean annual temperature (ºC) | 5 | 20 |
Rainfall
Top of pageParameter | Lower limit | Upper limit | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Mean annual rainfall | 400 | >2000 | mm; lower/upper limits |
Soil Tolerances
Top of pageSoil drainage
- seasonally waterlogged
Soil reaction
- acid
- alkaline
- neutral
Soil texture
- heavy
- light
- medium
Natural enemies
Top of pageNatural enemy | Type | Life stages | Specificity | References | Biological control in | Biological control on |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Corticium koleroga | Pathogen | Plants|Leaves | not specific | |||
Erysiphe penicillata | Pathogen | Plants|Leaves | not specific | |||
Phyllactinia guttata | Pathogen | Plants|Leaves | not specific | |||
Podosphaera macularis | Pathogen | Plants|Leaves | not specific |
Notes on Natural Enemies
Top of pageIn North America, deer, elk and moose [Alces alces] browse the stems and foliage of S. canadensis (Stevens, 2001).
Adults of Desmocerus californicus dimorphus eat elderberry leaves and flowers, while larvae eat the inside of stems. The currant borer, Ramosia tipulijormis, attacks the fruit (Stevens, 2001; Charlebois et al., 2010).
The larvae of the following species feed on the leaves of elderberry in North America: Hyalophora cecropia, Malacosoma americanum, Malacosoma disstria, Langium atroviolaceum and Macrophya trisyllaba (Arnett, 2000; Eaton and Kaufman, 2007; Charlebois et al., 2010).
The following pathogenic fungi have been reported on Sambucus species causing leaf-spot disease, stem cankers and powdery mildew (Charlebois et al., 2010):Cytospora leucosperma [Leucostoma persoonii], Cytospora sambucicola, Cytospora chrysosperma, Neonectria coccinea, Sphaeropsis sambucina, Ascochyta wisconsina, Phaeoramularia catenospora, Cercospora depazeoides, Cercosporella prolificans, Ramularia sambucina, Sepiotia sambucina, Erysiphe penicillata, Erysiphe grossulariae, Phyllactinia guttata, Podosphaera macularis and Corticium koleroga.
Several viruses have been reported in S. canadensis including tomato ringspot and cherry leafroll virus (Jones, 1972; Ellis et al., 1992).
Means of Movement and Dispersal
Top of pageSambucus canadensis spreads by seed and vegetatively by root suckering, underground rhizomes and rooting (layering) of procumbent stems where they touch the soil surface. Seeds are dispersed by animals including birds, bears [Ursidae], squirrels and other rodents (Stevens, 2001; Finn et al., 2008; Charlebois et al., 2010; Alien plants of Belgium, 2020).
Pathway Causes
Top of pageCause | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Crop production | Cultivated for its fruits | Yes | Yes | Stevens (2001) |
Disturbance | Common in disturbed areas | Yes | Yes | Stevens (2001) |
Escape from confinement or garden escape | Escaped from cultivation, naturalized | Yes | Yes | Alien plants of Belgium (2020) |
Garden waste disposal | Seeds, rhizomes, fragments | Yes | Yes | Charlebois et al. (2010) |
Horticulture | Cultivated for its fruits and as an ornamental | Yes | Yes | Charlebois et al. (2010) |
Intentional release | Cultivated for its fruits and as an ornamental | Yes | Yes | Charlebois et al. (2010) |
Internet sales | Seeds and plants for sale online | Yes | Yes | |
Medicinal use | Used in traditional medicine | Yes | Yes | Stevens (2001) |
Nursery trade | Commercialized for its fruits and as an ornamental | Yes | Yes | Charlebois et al. (2010) |
Ornamental purposes | Cultivated as an ornamental | Yes | Yes | Charlebois et al. (2010) |
People foraging | Cultivated for its fruits | Yes | Yes | Charlebois et al. (2010) |
Seed trade | Seeds and plants for sale online | Yes | Yes |
Pathway Vectors
Top of pageVector | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Debris and waste associated with human activities | Seeds, rhizomes, fragments | Yes | Yes | Charlebois et al. (2010) |
Seeds and plants for sale online | Yes | Yes |
Impact Summary
Top of pageCategory | Impact |
---|---|
Cultural/amenity | Positive |
Economic/livelihood | Positive and negative |
Environment (generally) | Positive and negative |
Human health | Positive and negative |
Environmental Impact
Top of pageSambucus canadensis is currently listed as invasive in South Africa and Cuba where it is altering natural successional processes. Its shallow, aggressive root system indicates a potential to displace native vegetation (Macdonald et al., 2003; Charlebois et al., 2010; Oviedo Prieto and González-Oliva, 2015).
Social Impact
Top of pageThe leaves, stems, roots, seeds and unripe fruits of S. canadensis are toxic to humans due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides and alkaloids; seeds and fruits should therefore not be eaten raw (Stevens, 2001).
Risk and Impact Factors
Top of page- Proved invasive outside its native range
- Has a broad native range
- Abundant in its native range
- Highly adaptable to different environments
- Is a habitat generalist
- Tolerates, or benefits from, cultivation, browsing pressure, mutilation, fire etc
- Pioneering in disturbed areas
- Highly mobile locally
- Benefits from human association (i.e. it is a human commensal)
- Fast growing
- Has high reproductive potential
- Gregarious
- Has propagules that can remain viable for more than one year
- Reproduces asexually
- Has high genetic variability
- Modification of successional patterns
- Monoculture formation
- Negatively impacts animal health
- Reduced native biodiversity
- Threat to/ loss of native species
- Competition - monopolizing resources
- Competition - smothering
- Poisoning
- Rapid growth
- Rooting
- Highly likely to be transported internationally deliberately
Uses
Top of pageSambucus canadensis is harvested from the wild and also commercially cultivated for its fruit. Fruits, flowers, leaves and the inner bark of S. canadensis are used in traditional medicine and dyes for basketry. Fruits are used to make jelly, syrup, candies, pies and wine. Leaves and bark are used as an insecticide. The wood is hard and used to make combs, spindles and pegs while the hollow stems are used to make flutes and blowguns. All parts of the plant are highly appreciated by Native American people and have multiple uses including medicinal and religious uses. This species is frequently planted as an ornamental in pond and lake margins and along roadsides (Moerman, 1998; Stevens, 2001; Spjut, 2015; PFAF, 2020).
Uses List
Top of pageDrugs, stimulants, social uses
- Religious
Environmental
- Agroforestry
- Amenity
General
- Ritual uses
Human food and beverage
- Beverage base
- Fruits
- Spices and culinary herbs
Materials
- Dyestuffs
- Poisonous to mammals
Medicinal, pharmaceutical
- Traditional/folklore
Ornamental
- Christmas tree
- Cut flower
- garden plant
- Potted plant
- Propagation material
- Seed trade
Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
Top of pageSambucus canadensis is similar to S. nigra and the distinction between these two species is not always straightforward. It has been suggested that ‘fruit colour’ is the best trait to separate these species although fruits eventually turn dark purplish in both species. Also, S. canadensis always has more leaflets and nutlets are also more numerous than in S. nigra. Additionally, S. nigra tends to be a single- or few-trunked large shrub or small tree, whereas S. canadensis can have many stems and can spread aggressively by underground rhizomes (Finn et al., 2008; Alien plants of Belgium, 2020).
Both species can be distinguished on the basis of the following characteristics:
S. canadensis: leaf with 5-11 leaflets, usually seven; petals white in life; carpels with (3-) 4 (-5) stigmas; branchlets with sparse lenticels; drupe bright red prior to turning purple-black, 4-5 mm wide; plants up to 2.5 m tall. Often rhizomatous.
S. nigra: leaf with 3-7 leaflets, usually five; petals yellow-white in life; carpels with 3 (-4) stigmas; branchlets with abundant lenticels; drupe dingy purple prior to turning black, 6-8 mm wide; plants 3-10 m tall. Not rhizomatous.
References
Top of pageApplequist WL, 2013. Report of the Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants: 65. Taxon, 62(6), 1315-1326. doi: https://doi.org/10.12705/626.49
Arnett RH, 2000. American insects: a handbook of the insects of America north of Mexico, (2nd edition) . Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA: CRC Press.1024 pp.
Donoghue MJ, Eriksson T, Reeves PA, Olmstead RG, 2001. Phylogeny and phylogenetic taxonomy of Dispacales, with special reference to Sinodoxa and Tetradoxa (Adoxaceae). Harvard Papers in Botany, 6(2), 459-479.
Donoghue MJ, Olmstead RG, Smith JF, Palmer JD, 1992. Phylogenetic relationships of Dipsacales based on rbcL sequences. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 79(2), 333-345. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/2399772
Eaton KR, Kaufman K, 2007. Kaufman field guide to insects of North America, Boston, USA: Houghton Mifflin Co.391 pp.
Eriksson T, Donoghue MJ, 1997. Phylogenetic analyses of Sambucus and Adoxa (Adoxoideae, Adoxaceae) based on nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences and preliminary morphological data. Systematic Botany, 22(3), 555-573. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/2419828
Moerman, D. E., 1998. Native American Ethnobotany, Oregon, USA: Timber Press.927 pp.
Spjut RW, 2015. Sambucus: Adoxaceae (Caprifoliaceae). In: The World Botanical Associates . http://www.worldbotanical.com/sambucus.htm
Stevens M, 2001. Plant guide for common elderberry (Sambucus nigra L. ssp. canadensis (L.) R. Bolli. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA: USDA-National Resources Conservation Service, National Plant Data Center.5 pp.
US Fish & Wildlife Service, 2017. Valley elderberry longhorn beetle, Desmocerus californicus dimorphus. In: Species information , USA: US Fish & Wildlife Service.https://www.fws.gov/sacramento/es_species/Accounts/Invertebrates/valley_elderberry_longhorn_beetle/
Wilson KL, 2016. Report of the General Committee: 15. Taxon, 65(5), 1150-1151. doi: https://doi.org/10.12705/655.14
Distribution References
Bernal R, Gradstein SR, Celis M, 2015. Catalogue of plants and lichens of Colombia. (Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia)., [ed. by Bernal R, Gradstein SR, Celis M]. Bogotá, Colombia: Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co
CABI, Undated. CABI Compendium: Status as determined by CABI editor. Wallingford, UK: CABI
Jørgensen P M, León-Yánez S, 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. 1182 pp.
Links to Websites
Top of pageWebsite | URL | Comment |
---|---|---|
GISD/IASPMR: Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource and DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway | https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m93f6 | Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. |
Global register of Introduced and Invasive species (GRIIS) | http://griis.org/ | Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. |
Contributors
Top of page15/06/2020 Original text by:
Julissa Rojas-Sandoval, Institute of the Environment, University of Connecticut, USA
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