a name given to several species of small trees or shrubs, which have opposite, pinnated leaves and bear small white flowers in large, conspicuous, flat-topped clusters. The berries are black or red in color and somewhat bitterish in taste, though they are sometimes used in making pies and a kind of wine. Some varieties are cultivated because of their beautiful foliage and handsome shape. The branches are woody on the outside, but the whole center is filled with a white pith. The wood of the European species is tough and hard and takes a good polish.