Hva betyr plantenavnet geitrams og de andre norske navna på Chamerion angustifolium?

Abstract

In Norwegian, rosebay willowherb Chamerion angustifolium has been known by a number of vernacular names, of which «geitrams» is the most widespread one. Literally it means «goat ramson» and is a pejorative originally applied to ramson Allium ursinum and lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis. Chamerion angustifolium doesn't resemble any of these species, but has been associated with goat through other names like «geitskor» and «gjeiske». None of these names were properly understood. Therefore, «geitrams» was transferred to C. angustifolium as well. In the 18th century, it was a rather rare name confined to the south eastern part of Norway, but after it was introduced as a systematic name in 1793, it came into use in writing and is now common name in both Norwegian and Danish.