Agustín Stahl Stamm
Born
Agustín Stahl Stamm

January 21, 1842
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
DiedJuly 12, 1917
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
NationalityPuerto Rican
Occupation(s)Medical doctor, scientist
Notes
Dr. Stahl has a genus, Stahlia, and five valid species, Argythamnia stahlii, Senna pendula var. stahlii , Eugenia stahlii, Lyonia stahlii, and Ternstroemia stahlii, named in his honor.

Agustín Stahl (January 21, 1842 – July 12, 1917) was a Puerto Rican medical doctor and scientist with diverse interests in the fields of ethnology, botany, and zoology. He advocated Puerto Rico's independence from Spain.

Early years

Stahl was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico and given the name Antón Adolf August, by his parents Johann Heinrich Christian Stahl and María Helene Stamm. Born into a Protestant family, he was baptized into the Catholic faith in Aguadilla at about three years of age,[1] town where he also received his primary and secondary education.

He studied at the universities of Würzburg in Germany and at the Charles University in Prague, graduating from the latter with the title of Doctor of Medicine in 1864. After graduation, Stahl returned to Puerto Rico where he established his medical practice in the city of Bayamón.

Ethnologist, botanist and zoologist

Dr. Agustín Stahl watercolor of Punica granatum.

Outside work, Stahl's love of nature lead him to conduct investigations and experiments in the fields of ethnology, botany and zoology. He also had a love of history and historical investigation.

Stahl wrote "Estudios sobre la flora de Puerto Rico" (A study of the Puerto Rican Flora), published in 6 fascicles from 1883 to 1888. Copies of Stahl's plant collection with approximately 1,330 plants can be found in various botanical gardens around the world. His collections were the basis for numerous studies by specialists, some of them resulting in new taxa to science.[2][3]

Stahl has a genus, Stahlia, and five valid species, Argythamnia stahlii, Senna pendula var. stahlii , Eugenia stahlii, Lyonia stahlii, and Ternstroemia stahlii, named in his honor.[4] The genus Stahlia is represented by a single species, S. monosperma (Tul.) Urb., known to occur only in Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic. Known in Puerto Rico as Cóbana Negra, this species is currently listed as threatened in the USFW Federal Register, April 5, 1990.[5] He was quoted as saying:

"I love science. We wouldn't be where we are without science"

Written works

Notes on Puerto Rico's Flora (Part 6), by Agustín Stahl

Stahl's written works include:

  • Notes on Puerto Rico's Flora
  • Report on the Disease of the Sugar Cane
  • Puerto Rican Flora
  • The Puerto Rican Indians (Tainos)
  • The Founding of Aguadilla
  • The Founding of Bayamón

Later years

The custom of adorning Christmas trees in Puerto Rico began in the city of Bayamón in 1866 when Stahl adorned a tree in his back yard. The people of Bayamón baptized his tree "El árbol de Navidad del Doctor Stahl" (Dr. Stahl's Christmas tree).[7][8]

Stahl was a firm believer that Puerto Rico should obtain independence from Spain, and was a member of the "Partido Autonomista Puertorriqueño", or Puerto Rican Autonomist Party. This group sought to create a separate political and legal identity for Puerto Rico while emulating Spain in all political matters. However, due to Stahl's political views, he was expelled from his position in the Civil Institute of Natural Sciences in Spain and was deported from Spain in 1898.[9]

A sector of Borinquen barrio in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico is named after Agustín Stahl.

Stahl died in the city of Bayamón and his remains are buried in Bayamón's Municipal Cemetery. The city of Bayamón turned his former house into a museum to be enjoyed by all those who wish to learn more about him and his work. The Puerto Rican sculptor Tomás Batista created a bust to honor Stahl which can be found at the University of Cayey.[9]

Further reading

  • A. Stahl, Flora De Puerto Rico: Acuarelas De Agustin Stahl Publicadas Por El Fideicomiso De Conservacion De Puerto Rico En Ocasión de su Vigésimoquinto Aniversario. ISBN 0-9633429-0-8
  • Chardon, C. E. 1924. Haciendo Patria. Homenaje al Dr. Agustín Stahl. Revista de agricultura de Puerto Rico. 12(11): 65–84.
  • Coll y Toste, C. 1926. Destierro del Dr. Stahl. Expulsión del Dr. Agustín Stahl de la isla. Boletín Histórico de Puerto Rico. Tomo 13: 59–60.
  • Gutierrez de Arroyo, I. 1978. El Dr. Agustín Stahl, Hombre de ciencia: Perspectiva Humanística [with bibliography]. Universidad de Puerto Rico, Río Piedras.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Temas y temitas, by Haydée Reichard de Cancio, pgs. 43-44.
  2. ↑ Botanical Legacy of Dr. Agustín Stahl Archived 2011-09-17 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved October 17, 2008
  3. ↑ Knight, Judith. "Restoring the Forgotten Botanical Legacy of Agustin Stahl". The Plant Press. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Flora of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands". Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2006-09-17.
  5. ↑ "Agustín Stahl". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. April 5, 1990. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ International Plant Names Index.  A.Stahl.
  7. ↑ El Primer Arbol de Navidad de Puerto Rico
  8. ↑ Anderson, Maria (December 23, 2015). "Smithsonian Insider – Agustín Stahl: Scientist Who Introduced the "Arbol de Navidad" (Christmas Tree) to Puerto Rico". Smithsonian Insider. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Chardon, C. E. 1924. Haciendo Patria. Homenaje al Dr. Agustín Stahl. Revista de agricultura de Puerto Rico. 12(11): 65-84.
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