Saúco canario, sabugo, sabuguero (Sambucus palmensis)

Small tree or shrub that can reach up to 5-7 m. Branches are curved, leaves are composite with three pairs of lateral leaflets and a larger terminal one, margins are dentate-serrate. Flowers are numerous and arranged in dense white or greenish-white umbels. Fruit is small, rather round, initially green, becoming blackish when ripe, forming dense clusters. This Canary Island native is found in Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma, where it is closely associated with damp evergreen forests. It is very rare and highly localized in its natural state, hence its classification as Endangered, though several conservation measures have been put in place. Fortunately, it has been cultivated for medicinal purposes since ancient times, which has ensured its widespread presence in mid-altitude areas in some islands, such as Tenerife.