Bernard Renault (botanist)

Bernard Renault (4 March 1836, Autun – 16 October 1904) was a French paleobotanist. He was a specialist in regard to the anatomy of Carboniferous and Permo-Carboniferous period flora.
In 1867 he earned his doctorate in physical sciences at Paris, followed by work as an instructor of chemistry at the college in Cluny (1867–72). Later on, he was associated with the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, serving as a "préparateur" (1872–76) and an assistant naturalist (1876–1904). In 1879 he obtained his doctorate in natural sciences.
During his tenure at Cluny, he developed an interest in paleobotany. He conducted studies of fossil flora in the vicinity of his hometown of Autun, an area abundant in silicified remains of plants dating from Permo-Carboniferous times. His studies of fossil ferns led to the founding of a new plant family, Botryopterideae. He also made important findings concerning the anatomy of the extinct genus "Sphenophyllum", as well as to the anatomy and reproductive aspects of the extinct genus "Annularia". His work caught the attention of Adolphe Brongniart, who subsequently offered him a position at the natural history museum in Paris. With Brongniart, he conducted investigations of silicified seeds.
He is credited as the first scientist to account for all organs of the extinct conifer family Cordaitaceae. The genus "Renaultia" was named in his honour by Charles René Zeiller (1883).
He was a member of the "Société éduenne des lettres, sciences et arts" (from 1867), the "Société linnéenne de Normandie", the "Institut géologique de Vienne", and in 1884, was deputy associate of the "Carte géographique de France" project. In 1886, he was a founding member and first president of the "Société d'histoire naturelle et des amis du muséum d'Autun".