big native

Salesian-botanist: Jaroslav Soukup, SDB

We studied really a lot of literature when studying south-american herbal medicine. We found out with surprise and pleasure that most of the pieces whether ethnomedicinal or purely scientific, cited on work of salesian monk of czech origin, Reverend Jaroslav Soukup, SDB. He is considered to be the father and founder of botanic systematics of peruvian vegetation and with respect to his work he was given among others the work of front botanist Antonio Brack Egg that was published under the auspices of PNUD (OSN) fund in 1999, so 10 years after his death. Also we dare to add a short memory on the important native.

His name was Jaroslav Soukup. He was born in Příbram on the 10th of March in 1902. His parents were farmers. They proved to give over deep belief to their children. Jaroslav got from parents love to nature. His uncle was archiepiscopal secretary, Dr. Antonín Dohalský. From him he got to know about salesians and on his spur he signed up to P. Klementov who chose boys that wanted to become salesians and sent them to Peroza in Italy where was open an aspirantate. He came here in January 1926, after his school-leaving exam.
During holidays of the same year he took part as the guide of missionary exhibition in Turín. Here he got to know peruvian salesian Chiriching. He got inspired with missions and in the same year he left to Peru. He started there noviciate in January 1927. After taking vows he continued in philosophy and theology studying. On the 6th of June 1935 he was priested. During his studies he showed pedagogic abilities. Every holidays he had possibility to attend scientific crusades. In Puno, on the bank of the lake Titicaca, he met works of Dr. Herrera and began to interest in botany. He picked up plants and built herbariums. He found new kinds that carry his name. He published in scientific magazines and kept contacts with universities in all over the world. In 1954 he began to publish magazine „Biota”, devoted to biologic sciences. He was given several doctorates by varios universities. In 1965 he got regulations from Ministry of Education and later also regulations from the Ministry of Agriculture. In Czech Republic he corresponded with herbariums administrator, coadjutor Antonín Roubal.
During 1967-80 he worked as a pedagogue on College of Pharmacy at University San Marcos in Lima. His biggest work is Dictionary of folk terms of  peruvian flora. This work that cost many years of patient work, remains the memory of czech scientist salesian who famed our country in Peru.
P. Jaroslav Soukup was scientist of worldwide dimension but also a model salesian priest. He was favourite proffesor, loved young people and was their paternal guide and consultant. Every morning at five o´clock celebrated holy service and daily entrusted himself and others to Holy Virgin by rosary prayer. Never came to his country during his life. God sent him to Peru to light by his life there. Died on the 14th of November 1989. In honour of him and remembrance of his contribution to peruvian and world  botany and pharmacobotany was after him named the botanical specie Anthurium soukupii Croat. (Araceae).