62 
THE BURTON AGNES CREPIS 
R. J. FLINTOFF. 
In 1923, Mr. Major Lawson, of Bridlington, found a plant on waste 
ground in or near the cemetery at Burton Agnes, near Driffield. He 
showed specimens to me on several occasions. At first, I identified it 
as Crepis biennis Linn, later, I thought it resembled a large form of 
Crepis capillaris Wallr., and finally, I favoured again Crepis biennis. 
In 1925, specimens were sent to Kew where they were named Crepis 
biennis Linn. 
For July, 1925, I find this entry in my ‘ Field Book ’ : — ‘ As there 
appears to be still some doubt regarding the identity of the Burton Agnes 
Crepis, I have sent a specimen to Dr. Druce.’ Dr. Druce was always 
very kind to me, and for nearly twenty years I have been in constant 
friendly communication with him. At all times he gave to me most 
valuable help very willingly. 
Early in July, 1928, I sent a specimen to Dr. Druce, and on the 10th, 
I received a reply from him in which he called it Crepis tavraxacifolia 
Thuill. On September 10th, 1928, Dr. Druce wrote : ‘ It is Crepis 
nicceensis, in which I am quite interested. It differs from C. capillaris 
Wallr., and from C. biennis Linn in its being a rougher plant with often 
many satse on the peduncles. The receptacle is quite different, being 
fovillate — each hole where the achene springs from has a winged border.’ 
On the 14th September, Mr. Lawson sent me the following notes : 
‘ 17th June, 1923. In Burton Agnes cemetery I found a composite 
plant growing in abundance. 
23rd June, 1923. Flintoff considers that this plant is a large form 
of Crepis capillaris Wallr. 
1 8th June, 1924. The giant form of Crepis capillaris again observed 
by J. R. Bramley and me. 
23rd June, 1925. The giant variety of Crepis capillaris from Burton 
Agnes turns out to be Crepis biennis' Linn, identified at Kew.’ 
In early June, 1932, I had been gleaning information relative to the 
identity of the Crepis growing at Allerston, near Pickering, and on the 
suggestion of Mr. Francis Druce and Mr. A. J. Wilmott, I sent a specimen 
to Dr. Drabble, who requested me to send him the Burton Agnes Crepis. 
He thought the plant was most probably Crepis oporinoides Boiss. 
In The Journal of Botany for July, 1932, there is the following note 
by Dr. Drabble : — ‘ Crepis oporinoides Boissier in Britain. In October, 
1931, a large Crepis, which differed in several striking respects from 
C. biennis Linn, was found at Freshwater, Isle of Wight. In 1929, Dr. 
G. C. Druce sent to me a specimen labelled (in his own hand) Crepis 
nicaeensis Balb, N. Yorkshire, June, 1929, ex R. J. Flintoff. Druce was 
evidently dissatisfied with this name, and desired my opinion. The 
specimen was very imperfect, but a few ripe seeds were present, and from 
one of these a good plant was raised which flowered in 1931, and agreed 
in essentials with the Freshwater plant. I have identified these plants 
as C. oporinoides Boiss., and a full account will appear in a paper on 
the genus Crepis in Britain shortly to be published in this journal.’ 
The paper duly appeared in The Journal of Botany for October, 1932, 
and in this the above statement is repeated in similar but slightly altered 
words. Those who are interested should read Dr. Drabble ’s article 
in its entirety, so I will only make one quotation, relative to the Burton 
Agnes plant from the section headed ‘ Crepis oporinoides Boiss.’ : ‘ Certain 
specimens recently received from Mr. Major Lawson, of Bridlington, 
though not in fruit, appear to belong to this species. They show extremely 
vigorous growth, attaining a height of three feet or more, with stems up 
to three-quarter inch in diameter at the bhse. The divisions of the 
The Naturalist 
