Terra Japonica

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Gambier \Gam"bier\, n. [Malayan.]
   (a) The inspissated juice of a plant ({Uncaria Gambir})
       growing in Malacca. It is a powerful astringent, and,
       under the name of {Terra Japonica}, is used for chewing
       with the Areca nut, and is exported for tanning and
       dyeing.
   (b) Catechu. [Written also {gambeer} and {gambir}.]
       [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Terra \Ter"ra\, n. [It. & L. See {Terrace}.]
   The earth; earth.
   [1913 Webster]

   {Terra alba} [L., white earth] (Com.), a white amorphous
      earthy substance consisting of burnt gypsum, aluminium
      silicate (kaolin), or some similar ingredient, as
      magnesia. It is sometimes used to adulterate certain
      foods, spices, candies, paints, etc.

   {Terra cotta}. [It., fr. terra earth + cotta, fem. of cotto
      cooked, L. coctus, p. p. of coquere to cook. See {Cook},
      n.] Baked clay; a kind of hard pottery used for statues,
      architectural decorations, figures, vases, and the like.
      

   {Terrae filius} [L., son of the earth], formerly, one
      appointed to write a satirical Latin poem at the public
      acts in the University of Oxford; -- not unlike the
      prevaricator at Cambridge, England.

   {Terra firma} [L.], firm or solid earth, as opposed to
      {water}.

   {Terra Japonica}. [NL.] Same as {Gambier}. It was formerly
      supposed to be a kind of earth from Japan.

   {Terra Lemnia} [L., Lemnian earth], Lemnian earth. See under
      {Lemnian}.

   {Terra ponderosa} [L., ponderous earth] (Min.), barite, or
      heavy spar.

   {Terra di Sienna}. See {Sienna}.
      [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Catechu \Cat"e*chu\, n. [See {Cashoo}.] (Chem.)
   A dry, brown, astringent extract, obtained by decoction and
   evaporation from the {Acacia catechu}, and several other
   plants growing in India. It contains a large portion of
   tannin or tannic acid, and is used in medicine and in the
   arts. It is also known by the names {terra japonica},
   {cutch}, {gambier}, etc. --Ure. --Dunglison.
   [1913 Webster]