Editing Viburnum lentago (section)

==Description==

It is a large [[shrub]] or small [[tree]] growing upwards to {{cvt|30|ft|m|0|disp=flip}} tall with a trunk up to {{cvt|10|in|cm|0|disp=flip}} in diameter and a short trunk, round-topped head, pendulous, flexible branches. The bark is reddish- to grayish-brown, and broken into small scales. The twigs are pale green and covered with rusty down at first, later becoming dark reddish brown, sometimes [[glaucous]], smooth, tough, flexible, and produce an offensive odor when crushed or bruised. The winter [[bud]]s are light red, covered with pale scurfy down, protected by a pair of opposing scales. Flower-bearing buds are {{cvt|3/4|in|cm|0|disp=flip}} long, obovate, long pointed; other terminal buds are acute, {{cvt|1/3|to|1/2|in|mm|disp=flip}} long, while lateral buds are much smaller. The bud scales enlarge with the growing shoot and often become leaf-like.

Like all viburnums, the [[leaves]] are arranged in opposite pairs on the twigs; they are oval, {{cvt|2|-|4|in|cm|round=5|disp=flip}} long and {{cvt|3/4|-|2|in|cm|0|disp=flip}} broad, wedge-shaped, rounded or subcordate at base, with an acuminate apex and a finely serrated margin, and a winged [[petiole (botany)|petiole]]. They open from the bud involute, bronze green and shining, hairy and downy; when full grown are bright green and shining above, pale green and marked with tiny black dots beneath. In autumn they turn a deep red, or red and orange.

The [[flower]]s are small, {{cvt|5–6|mm|in|2}} in diameter, with five whitish petals, arranged in large round terminal [[Cyme (botany)|cymes]] {{cvt|5–12|cm|in|frac=4}} in diameter; flowering is in late spring. The [[Calyx (botany)|calyx]] is tubular, equally five-toothed, persistent; the [[Corolla (flower)|corolla]] is equally five-lobed, imbricate in the bud, cream-white, one-quarter of an inch across; lobes acute, and slightly erose. There are five stamens, inserted on the base of the corolla, alternate with its lobes, exserted; filaments slender; anthers bright yellow, oblong, introrse, versatile, two-celled; cells opening longitudinally. The pistil has a one-celled inferior ovary, the style thick, short, light green, and the stigma broad; there is one ovule in each cell.

The [[fruit]] is a small round blue-black [[drupe]], {{cvt|8–16|mm|in|2}} long on a reddish stem; it is thick-skinned, sweet, and rather juicy. The stone is oblong oval, flattened.

The roots are fibrous. The wood is ill-smelling, dark orange brown, heavy, hard, close-grained, with a specific gravity of 0.7303.