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RAN 



Ariftotlc fays, he was the firft that ever obferved it; 

 and adds, that it never happens, i. c. vifible, but at 

 the time of the full moon, her li^ht at other times 



be i n 



too faint to refleft the fight. 



After two re- 



fraftions and one reflexion, the Kinar iris has all the 

 colours of the Iblar very diftinct and pleafant, only 

 faint, in comparifon of the other, both from the dif- 

 ferent intenfity of the rays, and the different difpofi- 

 tion of the medium. 



Marine (Rainbow) is a phenomenon fometimes ob- 

 ferved in a much agitated fea, when the wind, fwcep- 

 ing part of the tops of the waves, carries them aloft, 

 fo that the fun's rays falling upon them, are refrafted, 

 &c. as in a common fhower, and paint the colours 

 of the bow. 



F. Bourzes, in the Philofophical Tranfadioris, ob- 

 ferves that the colours of the Marine Rainbow are 

 lefs lively, diftinft, and of lefs duration, than thofe 

 of the common bow ; that there are fcarce above 

 two colours diftinguifliable, a dark yellow on the fide 

 next the fun, and a pale green on the oppofite fide. 

 But thefe bows exceed as to number, there being 

 fometimes twenty or thirty feen together ; they ap- 

 . pear at noon-day, and in a pofition oppofite to that 

 of the common bow, i. e. the concave fide is turned 

 upwards, as indeed it is neceffary it flioyld be, from 

 what may be faid in accounting for the appearance of 



the folar bow. 

 RAMPIONS. See Campanula radice esculenta. 



RAMSONS. See Allium. 



RAMUS, a branch, is the divifion of a ftalkj in 



trees it is often called a bough. 

 HAND I A. Houft. Gen. Nov. 28. Lin. Gen. Plant. 



194. - , 



The Characters are. 



funnel- 



five JhoYt [eg 



of the flower is permanent^ of one leaf 



The flower is 



fljort ftaymna terminated by oblong ere^ ft 



tnitSy and an oval germen fupporting a cylindrical ftylc^ 



i 



cbtufe 



ipfule 



i- 



^ . ^ ^^J)'^^ cartilaginous feeds 

 furrcunded with pulp. 



This genus of plants is ranged in the firft feftion of 

 Linnseus's fifth clafs, which includes thofe plants 

 whofe flowers have five ftamina and one ftyle. 



We know but one Species of this genus at prefent 

 in the Englifh gardens, viz. 



Randia {Mitis) foliis ovatis emarginatis, fpinis gemi- 

 natis, caule fruticofo. Randia^ zvith oval leaves which 



. are indented at the top^ fpines growing by pairs, and a 

 florubby ftalh Randia frutefcens, fpinis bijugis, foliis 

 fubrotundis floribus albis. Hoult. MSS. Shrubby 

 Randia with double fpines^ roundifh leaves^ and white 

 flowers. Sir Hans Sloane titles it in the Hifl:6ry of Ja- 

 maica, Lyciuni forte, foliis fubrotundis integris, fpi- 

 nis & foliis ex adverfo fitis. Vol. i. p. 40. Bgxthorn 

 with roundiflo entire leaves^ which^ as well as the fpines^ 



' are placed by pairs. 

 This plant grows naturally at La Vera Cruz, where 

 the late Dr. Houflroun found it in plenty, and fent 

 the feeds to Europe-, he gave this title to the genus 

 in honour of Mr. Ifaac Rand, who was a curious So- 

 tanift. It was difcovered by Sir Hans Sloane in the 

 ifland of Barbadoes. ^ ^ * ... 



It rifes with a (hrubby ftalk to the height of ten or 

 twelve feet, covered with a whitifh bark. The 

 branches come out oppofite from the fide of the ftalk, 

 each pair crofiing the other ; the leaves are of a thick 

 confidence, about an inch long, and three quarters 

 broad, a little indented at the top, and are placed by 

 pairs ftanding upon ftiort foot-ftalks. At the joints 

 immediately under the leaves are produced two fliort 

 fpines ftanding oppofite. The flowers are produced 

 from the fide of the branches \ they are fmall, white, 

 tubulpus, and divided at the brim flightly into five 

 parts. Thefe are fucceeded by pval berries about the 



A N 



fize of a marble, having a brittle flicll under a tlii.i 

 Ikin, with one cell, inclofing many compreifcd feeds 

 furroundcd with a black pulp. It is propagated by 

 feeds, which (liould be fown early in the f^^rino- in 

 pots filled with light frefli earth, and plunged into a 

 hot-bed of tanners bark, obfcrvins to wateTthe earth 

 frequently but gently, to promote^ the vegetation of 

 the feeds. When the plants come u^^, they muil 

 have frefli air admitted to them every day when the 

 weather is warm, and fliould be often rcfrefl^ed with 



In about a month's time after the plants are 

 ' will be fit to tranfplant, when they ftiould 



i 



water. 

 up, the\ 



temperature of heat. 



During the 



be carefully fhaken out of the pots, and each plant- 

 ed into a fcparate fmall pot filled with light frcfh 

 earth, and then plunged into the hot-bed ao-ain^ 

 where they muft- be fcreened from the fun until they 

 have taken new root; after which time, they muft 

 have air and moifture in proportion to the warmth of 

 the feafon. The plants may remain in the hot-bed 

 till toward Michaelmas, when the nights begin to be 

 cold, at which time they ihould be removed into the 

 ftove, and if they are plunged into the bark-bed, it 

 will, greatly forward their growth, though they will 

 live in the dry ftove, i^they are kept in a moderate 



two firft feafons, 

 while the plants are young, it will be proper to keep 



- them conftantly in the ftove, but their leaves muft be 

 waftied whenever they contrad filth ; this will brino- 

 them forward ; but, after the plants have obtained 

 ftrength, they may be expofed every fummer to the 

 open air in the warmeft- part of the year for two or 

 three months, provided they are placed in a warm 

 fituation, but in winter they muft be conftantly placed 

 in a ftove, and kept in a moderate warmth, other- 

 wife they will not live in this country. 

 The leaves of this plant continue green throuo-hout 



' the year, which renders the plant valuable, becaufe 

 it makes an agreeable variety in the winter feafon, 

 when mixed with other tender plants. 



RANUNCULUS. Tourn. Inft. R, H. 285. tab. 

 149. Lin. Gen. Plant. 619. [fo called, asfomefay, 

 from Rana, Li^/. a frog, on account of its deliahtino- 

 to grow in moift places, which frogs frequent.] Crow- 

 foot. 



The Characters are. 



lent of the flower is compofed of fi^\ 

 es \ the flower has five obtufe petals, 

 ow bafe ; each of thefe have an open 

 their tails. ' It hath many ftamina. 



which 



a 



bout 



rium upon 



half the length of we petals, terminated by oblong, ere£f, 

 t'win fummitsf and numerous germen colleBed in a head 

 having no fiyles, but are crowned by^ fmall rcflexed ftig~ 



^ mas. The germen afterward become feeds of uncertain 

 irregular figures, fafiened to the receptacle by very fhorl 



. foot-ftalks. ' 



This genus of plants is ranged in the feventh feftion 

 ofLinnaeus's thirteenth clafs, which contains thofe 

 plants whofe flowers have many ftamina and germen. 

 I ftiall not here enumerate all the fpecies of this ge- 

 nus, many of which are common weeds in moft parts 

 of England, and others are fo in feveral parts of 

 Europe, fo are rarely admitted into gardens, there- 

 fore I Ihall only mention thofe forts whkh are culti- 

 vated in gardens, or have double flowers. 

 The Species are, 



1, Ranunculus {Acris) calycibus patulis, pedunculis 

 teretibus, foliis tripartito-multifidis, fummis lineari- 

 bus. Lin. Flor. Succ. 466. flore pleno. Ranunculus 

 with a fpreading empalement, a taper fcotflalk, many- 

 pointed leaves divided by threes, and thofe at the top 'li- 

 near and bearing a double flower. Ranunculus horcenfis 

 ere(5tus, flore pleno. C. B. P. 179. Upright Gar 

 Ranunculus with a double fl^ower. 



2. Ranunculus (ii^/>^7w) calycibus patulis, pedunculis 

 fulcatis, repentibus, foliis compofitis. Flor. Suec. 46S, 

 flore pleno. Ranunculus with a fpreading empalement 

 furrowed foGt-ftalks^ creeping fljoots^ and compound leaves 



Ranunculus hortenfis inclinahs. 



aen 



with a double flower. 



C. B. P. 179. Inclining Garden Ranunculus. 



II E 



T^ 



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.V >■ ^ 



X. V 



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s 



3. Ranun- 



