Yes it is good occasion to remember Father Santapau, who in addition to contributions to Flora of Western Ghats, had a major role in updating recent accepted names for Indian plants through his numerous publications.
-- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 9:08 AM, Dinesh Valke <[email protected]> wrote: > Many thanks Viplav ji for this very interesting post. > Regards. > Dinesh > > > > > On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 10:26 PM, [email protected] <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Dear all, >> >> I have just been informed by a good friend from Spain that today is the >> 109th birth anniversary of Father Santapau. My friend Miguel's uncle, also >> a Jesuit and serious plant aficionado, knew him very well and both of them >> shared the same birthplace in north-east Spain. >> >> In addition to his diverse publications in English, Father Santapau also >> wrote about Indian flora in his native Spanish and these papers were >> published in journals of the Madrid Botanical Garden, the Antonio José >> Cavanilles Institute of Botany et al. I have been reading some of his >> Spanish writings on the flora of Bombay, Saurashtra, Khandala, >> Mahabaleshwar etc. - an absorbing mix of monograph, travelogue and >> anecdotes punctuated with his own line drawings of maps and plant parts. >> >> The affectionate kinship and the deep sense of belonging with which he >> introduced the plants and the forests of India to the native readers of his >> motherland suggest that the flora of India had naturalized him long before >> he became a formal Indian citizen. Concurrently, his love for the country >> of his birth and youth prompted him to liken the red-yellow-red flowers of >> *Gloriosa superba* as the most vivid manifestation of the Spanish >> national flag in nature! >> >> Have attached an article on Father Santapau by Prof. PV Bole. Miguel had >> sent me some Spanish newspaper clippings of Father Santapau's interviews >> from the 1950s and one of these is also attached. >> >> Best wishes, Viplav >> >> "I suppose my birth along the banks of the river Ebro endowed me with an >> innate love for plants. I come from the charming village of La Galera near >> Tortosa. But, above all, I think I found my calling for flowers in the >> beautiful mountains of Kurseong when I was studying theology in India." - >> Hermenegildo Santapau, S. J. [in conversation with Antonio T. Nicolas, S. >> J., 1956] >> >> >> ---------- Mensaje original ---------- >> De: Miguel Garriga <[email protected]> >> Fecha: 5 de diciembre de 2012 17:12 >> Asunto: 109 Aniversario del nacimiento del Padre Santapau >> Para: Viplav Gangar <[email protected]> >> >> >> Hola Viplav, >> >> Te gustaría saber que hoy es el día de cumpleaños de Padre Santapau y te >> echamos de menos en la reunión con vino, buñuelos y un montón de recuerdos >> del Padre que está evocando tío Joaquin ... los cuales le gustaría poder >> volver a vivir ;-) Vendremos a Khandala en enero ... te voy a telefonear >> pronto. La pintura indígena es sumamente preciosa, ya he puesto en un marco >> y colgado en la sala! Por acá te mandan saludos Manolo, Cristina y Isabel >> tambien. >> >> Hasta pronto ... Miguel >> >> -- >> >> >> >> > > -- > > > > --
