Anatomical structure of Sambucus chinensis Lindl.and histochemical localization of chlorogenic acid were studied by paraffin method and fluorescence observation in three populations.The results showed that:(1)There were obviously collenchyma and tannin cells in stems;pith was composed of two types of parenchyma cells with varying sizes.Collenchyma cells were smaller in rhizome than that in stem;pith parenchyma cell size difference was not obvious;the oil cells distributed in the cortex and pith.(2)The leaf belonged to typical dorsi-ventral leaf;the palisade tissue cells were short columnar;oil cell was not obvious.(3)Chlorogenic acid located in the cortex cells of rhizomes,some collenchyma cells of stem and spongy tissue of leaf,with the highest levels in spongy tissue.Differences of pith parenchyma cell size can be used as a distinction character of S.chinensis.Fluorescence microscope observation can be quickly and accurately display the distribution of chlorogenic acid.The highest content of chlorogenic acid was Huaihua population.If the chlorogenic acid as the effective component of S.chinensis,we suggested that only the leaves could be harvested for sustainable utilization of the resources.