Fig 5 . The Imaging of three Chinese Elderberries: 1. Chinese Blood-red Herb-elderberry (Sambucus adnata ); 2. Chinese Woody-elderberry (Sambucus wiiliamsii ); 3. Chinese Herb-Elderberry (Sambucus chinensis orSambucus javanica) .
Geographic Distributions: From Wikipedia, the species is recognized in southeastern Asia and from Chinese Words Dictionary the species is recognized in Anhui, Fujian, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Tibet, Yunnan, Zhejiang and Japan. Medical uses: This species is recorded in old Chinese medical books as an herb to treat bruises, rheumatism, help blood circulation, and it is believed to have detoxification anti-inflammatory effect.
Siberian Woody-elderberry: Sambucus sibirica
This species is a deciduous shrub, 2-4m high, densely branched with reddish brown skin and vertical cracks. There are oval lenticels, with a light brown pith and twigs with a white papilla. The pinnate usually has two pairs of leaflets, and the rachis and petiole have yellow hirsutes. Small leaves are lanceolate 5-14cm long and 1.6-5.5cm wide. Flowers are light green or yellow with conical cymes. Anthers are ocher yellow and fruit is bright red. Fruit mature period is from July to August.
Geographic Distributions: Xinjiang Fuyun, Fuhai, Siberia and Altai. The plants are most commonly found on stony slopes and beside the stream beds. Medical uses: There are not common uses of this species.
Hairy Woody-elderberry: Sambucus sieboldiana orS. buergeriana.
This elderberry has new shoots, rachis, pedicels, petioles, and a leaf surface covered by long hair. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree 4-5m high. Small pinnate leaves have two or three pairs, small leaves’ main vein and lateral surface contains obvious yellowish-white hair. There is yellow hair on the petiole, rachis and young shoots surface. Fruit is orange-red with two or three seeds. The flowering period is from mid-May to early-June and fruit mature time is July to August.
Geographic Distributions: Inner-Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning as well as Korea and Japan. The plants are most commonly found on valley slopes, forest margins and desert areas at about 540-1600m above sea level. Medical uses: This species can be used for landscaping trees and various medicinal properties, similar to the Wood Elderberry. New leaves could be consumable and the crushed mixture of shoots and leaves could help in curing injuries of muscles and bones.
6. Hook-tooth Leaf Woody-elderberry: Sambucus foetidissinia
This species is a deciduous shrub 4-5m high, with an odd number pinnate with five to seven pairs. The leaf shape is oval or slightly oblong, 6-9cm long and 1.5-4cm wide. The leaves have a strong smell and thick, sharp, serrated teeth. The teeth bend inward like hooks. The fruit is red and flowering time is from May to June, fruit mature time is August-September.
Geographic Distributions: Inner-Mongolia only, there is a chance it could be found in Huabei, but no formal record exists. Medical uses: The species is used in landscaping trees and for various medicinal properties.
7. North-Korean Woody-elderberry: Sambucus coreaana
This elderberry is a deciduous shrub 5m high, with an odd number pinnate with three to five pairs. The leaf shape is lanceolate, 1.5-5cm long and 0.7-2cm wide. The flower is conical inflorescence and light green, the anther is yellow. The fruit is red with three seeds flowering from May to June and maturing in August.
Geographic Distributions: Inner-Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning as well as North-Korea and east of Russia. The plants are most commonly found on the mountain slope and forest margins. Medical uses: The shoots and leaves have medicinal value. The unique seeds contain 18.8% oil which can be used to make soaps and candles. The species may be used in landscaping trees.
8. Latifolia Woody-elderberry: Sambucus latipinna
This elderberry is a deciduous shrub, about 3m high, with an odd number of pinnate, opposite with three to five pairs. The leaf shape is oval or oblong, 4-8cm long and 2-3.5cm wide. It called latifolia as the leaflet is 2-3.5cm wide. The flower is conical inflorescence and yellow-green in colour with yellow anthers. The fruit is orange-red flowering in May and maturing in August and September.
Geographic Distributions: Inner-Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning as well as North-Korea. Shrubs are most commonly found on the mountain slopes, especially along stream beds and in meadowland. Medical uses: There are no common uses of this species.
9. Northern-east Woody-elderberry: Sambucus mandshurica
This elderberry is a deciduous shrub about 6m high. The branches grow upright with a reddish grey skin color. There is an odd number of pinnate, opposite with five to seven pairs. The leaf shape is oblong; 2-6cm long and 1-2cm wide. The flower is large conical inflorescence and yellow-green. The anther is yellow and the fruit is red. The flowering period is between May and June and matures in August to September.
Geographic Distributions: Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, North-Korea, Mongolia, far-east and east-Siberia in Russia. Shrubs are most commonly found on the mountain slopes, especially along stream beds, at bush forest margins, or in low scrub and meadowlands. Medical uses: Shoots and leaves of this species have medicinal value. They are proven to help recover injuries of tendons and muscles. It may also be used in landscaping trees.