The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Elder \El"der\, n. [OE. ellern, eller, AS. ellen, cf. LG.
elloorn; perh. akin to OHG. holantar, holuntar, G. holunder;
or perh. to E. alder, n.] (Bot.)
A genus of shrubs (Sambucus) having broad umbels of white
flowers, and small black or red berries.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The common North American species is Sambucus
Canadensis; the common European species (S. nigra)
forms a small tree. The red-berried elder is S.
pubens. The berries are diaphoretic and aperient. The
European elder (Sambucus nigra) is also called the
elderberry, bourtree, Old World elder, black
elder, and common elder.
[1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
Box elder. See under 1st Box.
Dwarf elder. See Danewort.
Elder tree. (Bot.) Same as Elder. --Shak.
Marsh elder, the cranberry tree Viburnum Opulus).
[1913 Webster]