features on a species of Sambucus
 

I have a Chinese elder (Sambucus chinensis).

When it blossoms, the umbels have orange cups attached to the stalks:

http://www.box.net/shared/static/prvquoeino.jpg

http://www.box.net/shared/static/kskosooqp5.jpg

These orange cups are not fruit, since they appear on stalks before
the blossoms open and don't look anything like the ultimate fruit
anyway.

They are not peculiar to my plant, because I can see them he

http://taichungmp.cpami.gov.tw/news/...87%2 0076.jpg

The cups are always the same size and shape. One whole umbel of
blossom might have a dozen of them.

What part of the plant are they? Or are they a parasite?

I don't remember seeing such features on Sambucus nigra or canadensis,
nor on the Australian native elders.

Richard