Sambucus australis Cham. & Schltdl. (sabugueiro-do-rio-grande, Caprifoliaceae) is a medicinal plant described only in the first edition of Brazilian Pharmacopoeia. This species is native to Brazil, and its flowers are used in the folk medicine, with diuretic purpose, antipiretic, anti-inflammatory, mild laxative and to treat respiratory diseases, on infusions or decoctions forms. Aiming at elaborating an updated pharmacopoeical monograph and comparing it with the monograph of Sambucus nigra L., from Europe, it was established the macro and microscopic botanical characters, through the classic methodology used in plant morpho-anatomy. The macroscopic characters are: morphologic monoclin flowers; corolla with seven to ten millimeters of diameter; petals with five, rarely four parallel veins; shorter and longer stamens; ovary oftenly with five locules. The main microscopic characters are: thickned and striated cuticule; absense of idioblasts with calcium oxalate sandy cristals; anomocytic stomatas; amphystomatic bracts; hypostomatic sepals; amphi-hypostomatic petals; wavy and straight epidermal cells in the lower surface of sepals and petals; filaments epidermal cells with narrow and straight walls; glandular and non-glandular trichomes of different types; homogeneous mesophyll in bracts, sepals and petals; vascular system represented by both collateral bundles and xylematic elements; volatile and non volatile oil globules in all structures.
Sambucus australis; Caprifoliaceae; pharmacobotany; morpho-anatomy
