Sambucus caerulea  Mexican Elder
DECIDUOUS SHRUB or SMALL TREE.  Smooth, bright green pinnate leaves have 5-7 oval, finely toothed leaflets.  Large flat clusters of creamy white flowers in April-May, followed by small blue or blackish-purple berries.  A riparian tree.  In the Empires, uncommon in Davidson Canyon and its largest tributaries.  Flowers attract bees and butterflies.  Fruits eaten by many birds.
FAMILY:  Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)