Crepis pulchra L. (Medit., C-Eur.) – A very rare and ephemeral alien. Apparently first collected in Spa in 1842. In the 19th century furthermore seen in Deinze and Mons. In the 1860’s persisting for some time on sandy arable land in Begijnendijk. In the 20th century much decreasing. Recorded in 1901 in the port of Antwerpen. From 2010 onwards more regularly seen in port areas in Antwerpen and Gent, always obviously associated with grain importation. In 2014 also seen by a railway track in a transport zone in Rekkem, close to the French border.
Crepis pulchra is very distinctive with its rather narrow, perfectly glabrous, almost shiny involucre with distinctly keeled phyllaries.
Residence status of Crepis pulchra is Belgium is somewhat controversial. According to Lambinon & al. (2004) it is native in Belgium and/or Luxembourg. On these grounds it was not included as a xenophyte in Verloove (2006). However, maps in van Rompaey & Delvosalle (1979) clearly show that native status is only feasible in Luxembourg, not in Belgium (see also Sell 1976).
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Selected literature:
Eliáš P., Turisová I. & Ťavoda O. (2010) Occurrence of Small flower Hawksbeard (Crepis pulchra L.) in Slovakia. Thaiszia 20(2): 127-135.
Ketzner D.M. (1996) Crepis pulchra (Asteraceae) and Moenchia erecta (Caryophyllaceae) in Illinois. Trans. Illin. Acad. Sci. 89(1-2): 21-23.
Lambinon J., Delvosalle L., Duvigneaud J. (avec coll. Geerinck D., Lebeau J., Schumacker R. & Vannerom H.) (2004) Nouvelle Flore de la Belgique, du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, du Nord de la France et des Régions voisines (Ptéridophytes et Spermatophytes). Cinquième édition. Jardin botanique national de Belgique, Meise: CXXX + 1167 p.
Sell P.D. (1976) Crepis. In: Tutin T.G. & al. (eds.), Flora Europaea, vol. 4. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: 344-357.
Van Rompaey E. & Delvosalle L. (1979) Atlas de la flore belge et luxembourgeoise. Ptéridophytes et Spermatophytes (2ième éd.). Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Meise: 1542 cartes.
Verloove F. (2006) Catalogue of neophytes in Belgium (1800-2005). Scripta Botanica Belgica 39: 89 p.