Bernard Renault (1836–1904)

French palaeobotanist. Studied chemistry and physics at Paris, receiving his doctorate in physical sciences in 1867; doctorate in natural sciences, 1879. Teacher at the teachers’ college, Cluny, 1867–72. Demonstrator, Muséum d’histoire naturelle, 1872; assistant naturalist, 1876–1904. Wrote a textbook on fossil botany, 1881–5. Worked particularly on fossil plants of the Carboniferous era and later on fossil bacteria.