In a message dated 6/11/2004 12:12:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time, pbs-request@lists.ibiblio.org writes: Mary Sue Ittner <msittner@mcn.org> wrote regarding the two common names for Allium ursinum, Wood Garlic and Ramsons,and the similarity of name to an American counterpart; Ramps. A quick Google search on my lunch hour offers up lost of links; the following one is good. The American counterpart, said to be very similar to the European A. ursinum, is Allium tricoccum, known as "ramps". Check out this url: http://srs.fs.usda.gov/4201/David_files/… (*watch out for word-wrapping on these URLs) By the way, one dictionary definition of ramps is: "to creep up -- used especially of plants". Besides the name Ramsons for the European Allium ursinum, sometimes the name Buckram is used. The definition of buckram follows: [n] a coarse cotton fabric stiffened with glue; used in bookbinding and to stiffen clothing. Definition from Hyper Dictionary, url: http://www.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/buckram/ Perhaps the common name alludes to the finely reticulated bulb coat on the allium bulbs, but that's pure conjecture on my part. A further Google search, on the etymology of "ramsons", came up with an indepth look at the origins of the word, and the origins of even the species name "ursinum". Here's a snippet:" English ramson (Old English hramsan) is of unclear origin; cognates are found in several Germanic (e.g., Swedish ramslök and regional German Ramsen) and Slavic languages (e.g., Russian cheremsha [черемша]). There are, however, a few possibly related words in other Indo-European tongues: Greek krommyon [κρόμμυον] “onion” and maybe Welsh craf “garlic”. " For read more on the etymology of these terms, go to: http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/… That's it for now, Mark McDonough Pepperell, Massachusetts, United States "New England", near New Hampshire USDA Zone 5 ======================================= antennaria@aol.com website: http://www.plantbuzz.com/ alliums, bulbs, penstemons, hardy hibiscus, western american alpines, iris, plants of all types!