Sambucus japonica Thunberg in Murray, Syst. Veg., ed. 14, 295. 1784; Euodia chaffanjonii H. Léveillé; Euscaphis chinensis Gagnepain; E. fukienensis Hsu; E. japonica var. jianningensis Q. J. Wang; E. japonica var. pubescens P. L. Chiu & G. R. Zhong; E. japonica var. ternata Rehder; E. konishii Hayata; E. staphyleoides Siebold & Zuccarini; E. tonkinensis Gagnepain.

Small deciduous trees or shrubs, (2-)3-6(-8) m tall; bark grayish brown, striped. Twigs and buds dark purple. Branches glabrescent. Leaves with pale green rachis, (8-)12-32 cm; stipule linear, pilose, base broad, tapering to tip; leaflets 5-9, rarely 3-11, with unpleasant odor when crushed; petiolule 1-2 mm, glabrescent; leaflet blades elliptic to oblong-ovate or sometimes oblong-lanceolate, rarely ovate, 4-6(-9) × 2-3(-4) cm, papery, glabrous or pilose along veins, adaxially green, abaxially pale, main vein impressed adaxially and prominent abaxially, lateral veins 8-11, conspicuous on both surfaces, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margin sparsely serrulate with glandular teeth, apex acuminate. Inflorescence a terminal panicle, up to 21 cm. Flower small, yellowish white, 4-5 mm in diam.; pedicel ca. 2 mm. Sepals oval, ca. 2 mm, base united, margin ciliate, apex obtuse. Petals yellowish green, obovate, slightly longer than sepals. Stamens shorter than petals; anthers oval. Ovary ovoid; carpels 3, free or base slightly united. Follicle 1-2 cm, 1-3-locular; pericarp softly leathery, red-brown with irregular ribs. Seeds shining black, subglobose, ca. 5 mm in diam.; arils fleshy. Fl. Apr-Jun, fr. Aug-Nov.

This species is grown as an ornamental. The wood is used for making furniture, oil from the seeds is used for making soap, and tannin is extracted from the bark. The roots and dry fruits are used medicinally.

Mountain valleys, open forests. Most provinces in China except NW regions, especially in areas S of the Chang Jiang to Hainan [Japan, Korea, Vietnam].