RAN 
Ariftotle fays, he was the firft that ever obferved it; 
and adds, that it never happens, i. e. vifible, but at 
the time of the ful] moon, "her light at other times 
being too faint to refleft the fight. After two re- 
fradions and one reflexion, the lunar iris has all the 
colours of the folar very diftincl and pleafant, only 
faint, in companion 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, fweep- 
ing part of the tops of the waves, carries them aloft, 
fo that the fun’s rays falling upon them, are refraded, 
&c, as in a common fhower, and paint the colours 
of the bow. 
F. Bourzes, in the Philofophical Tranfadions, ob- 
ferves that the colours of the Marine Rainbow are 
lefs lively, diftind, and of lefs duration, than thofe 
of the common bow ; that there are fcarce above 
two colours diftinguifhable, 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 fhould 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 flalk ; in 
trees it is often called a bough. 
R A NDI A. Houif. Gen. Nov. 28. Lin. Gen. Plant. 
194. 
The Characters are. 
The empalement of the flower is permanent , of one leaf 
cut into five floor t fegments at the brim. The flower is 
funnel-floaped, of one petal , cut into five parts at the top ; 
it hath five floort ftamina terminated by oblong ere hi fum- 
mits , and an oval germen fupporting a cylindrical ftyle , 
the length of the tube divided into two parts at the top , 
crowned by two obtufe unequal ftigmas. The germen af- 
terward becomes an oval capfule with one cell , having a 
hard cover , including many comprefjed cartilaginous feeds 
furrounded with pulp. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the firft fedion of 
Linnaeus’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 gerni- 
natis, caule fruticofo. Randia with oval leaves which 
are indented at the top , fpines growing by pairs , and a 
Jhrubby flalk. Randia frutefcens, fpinis bijugis, foliis 
fubrotundis floribus albis. Hon ft. MSS. Shrubby 
Randia with double fpines , roundifh leaves , and white 
flowers. Sir Hans Sloane titles it in the Hiftory of Ja- 
maica, Lycium forte, foliis fubrotundis integris, fpi- 
nis & foliis ex adverfo fitis. Vol. i. p. 40. Boxthorn 
with roundifh entire leaves , which , as well as the fpines , 
are placed by pairs. 
This plant grows naturally at La Vera Cruz, where 
the late Dr. Houftoun 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 bo- 
tanift. It was difcovered by Sir Hans Sloane in the 
Hand of Barbadoes. 
It rifes with a fhrubby ftalk to the height of ten or 
twelve feet, covered with a whitilh bark. The 
branches come out oppofite from the fide of the ftalk, 
each pair crofting the other ; the leaves are of a thick 
confiftence, about an inch long, and three quarters 
broad, a little indented at the top, and are placed by 
pairs Handing upon fhort foot ftalks. At the joints 
immediately under the leaves are produced two ftiort 
fpines' Handing oppofite. The flowers are produced 
from the fide of the branches ; they are fmall, white, 
tubulous, and divided at the brim flightly into five 
parts. Thefe are fucceeded by oval berries about the 
R A N 
fize of a marble, having a brittle (hell under, a tlfia 
fkin, with one cell, inclofing many comprefted feeds 
furrounded with a black pulp; It is propagated by 
feeds, which fhould be fown early in the fpring in 
pots filled with light frefli earth, and plunged into a 
hot-bed of tanners bark, obferving to water the earth 
frequently but gently, to promote the vegetation of 
the feeds. When the plants come up," they muff 
have frefli air admitted to them every day when the 
weather is warm, and fhould be often refreftied with 
water. In about a month’s time after the plants are 
up, they will be fit to tranfplant, when they fhould 
be carefully fhaken out of the pots, and each plant- 
ed into a feparate fmall pot filled with light frefh 
earth, and then plunged into the hot-bed again, 
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 fhould 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, if they are kept in a moderate 
temperature of heat. During the two firft feafons, 
while the plants are young, it will be proper to keep 
them conftantly in the ftove, but their leaves muft be 
walked whenever they contract filth ; this will bring 
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 
fltuation, 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 throughout 
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, Lat. a frog, on account of its delighting 
to grow in moift places, which frogs frequent.] Crow- 
foot. 
The Characters are. 
The empalement of the flower is compofled of five oval 
concave leaves ; the flower has five obtufe petals , which 
have a narrow bafe ; each of thefe have an open netia- 
rium upon their tails. It hath many ftamina , about 
half the length of the petals , terminated by oblong , erett, 
twin flummits , and numerous germen colie tied in a head 
having no flyles , but are crowned by fmall reflexed ftig- 
mas. The germen afterward become feeds of uncertain 
irregular figures , faftened to the receptacle by very floort 
floot-ftalks. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the feventh fedtion 
of Linnaeus’s thirteenth clafs, which contains thofe 
plants whofe flowers have many ftamina and germen. 
I fhall 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 fhall only mention thofe forts which 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. Suec. 466. flore plena. Ranunculus 
with a fpreading empalement , a taper foot -ftalk , many- 
pointed leaves divided by threes , and thofe at the top li- 
near and bearing a double flower. Ranunculus hortenfis 
ere&us, flore pleno. C. B. P. 179. Upright Garden 
Ranunculus with a double flower. 
2. Ranunculus ( Repens ) calycibus patulis, pedunculis 
fulcatis, repentibus, foliis compofitis. Flor. Suec. 468. 
flore pleno. Ranunculus with a fpreading empalement 
furrowed foot -ftalks, creeping fhoots , and compound leaves 
with a double flower. Ranunculus hortenfis inclinans. 
C. B. P. 179. Inclining Garden Ranunculus. 
11 E 
3. Ranun-, 
