Viburnum
a genus of plants of the shrubs with simple leaves, natives chiefly The species are of the N. parts of the world. V. opulus V. tinus is the laurustinus, both wellis the guelder rose, or snowball tree, and known ornamental shrubs. V. lantana, sometimes called the wayfaring tree, is VICAR a native of the warmer temperate parts of Europe and Asia, not infrequent in England, and often planted as an ornamental shrub. It is a large shrub or low tree, with large elliptic serrated leaves, downy star-like hairs on the under side. The young shoots are very downy. The flowers are small and white, in large dense cymes; the berries purplish black, mealy and mucilaginous, with a peculiar sweetish taste. They are useful in diarrhea and catarrh, and are used in Switzerland in the manufacture of ink. Bird lime is made from the bark of the roots in the S. of Europe, but is inferior to that made from the bark of the holly. The inner bark is very acrid, and was formerly used as a vesicant.
The wood is white and hard, and is prized by turners. Tubes for tobacco pipes are made of the young shoots. Two North American species, V. pauciflorum and V. opulus, nearly allied to the guelder rose, produce berries of an agreeable acid taste which are used like cranberries.