GAMBIER. 335 



foliontm of the shops. The bark^ once much employed, is now 



obsolete. 



RUBIACE^. 



GAMBIER. 



Catechih ixdlidurriy Extractitm UncaricB ; Gamhier, Pale Catechu, 

 Oamhier Catechu, Terra Japonica ; ¥, Gamhir, Cachou jaune ; 

 G. Gamhir. 



Botanical Origin — 1. Uncaria Gambier Roxb. {Nauclea Gamhir 



Hunter) a stout climbing shrub, supporting itself by means of its flower- 

 stalks which are developed into strong recurved hooks/ It is a native 

 of the countries bordering the Straits of Malacca, and especially of the 

 numerous islands at their eastern end; but according to Crawfurd- it 

 does not seem indigenous to any of the islands of the volcanic band. It 

 also grows in Ceylon, where however no use is made of it. 



2. U, acida Roxb.,^ probably a mere variety of the preceding, and 



manner. 



Malay 



History — Gambier is one of the substances to which the name^ of 

 Oatechu or Terra Japonica is often applied ; the other is Cutch, which 

 has been aheady described (p. 243). By druggists and pharmaceutists 

 the two articles are frequently confounded, but in the great world of 

 commerce they are reckoned as quite distinct. In many price-currents 

 and trade-lists, Catechu is not found under that name, but only appears 

 under the terms Catch and Gambler. 



Crawfurd asserts that gambier has been exported from time imme- 

 morial to Java from the Malacca Straits. This statement appears 

 highly questionable. Rumphius, who resided in Amboyna during the 

 second half of the 17th century, was a merchant, consul and naturalist; 

 and in these capacities became thoroughly conversant with the pro- 

 ducts of the Malay Archipelago and adjacent regions, as the six folio 

 volumes of liis Hpvhnw'ti'm Armhmm.pmm. illustrated bv o87 plates, 



amply prove. 



Gamhi 



say 



V'tuea m Malay Daun Gatta Gamhir, on account ot tne Diuer taste ui 

 Its leaves, which is perceptible in the lozenges (trochisci) called Gaita 

 j^avibir, so much so that one might suppose they w^ere made from these 

 eaves, which however is not the case. He further asserts that the 

 ieaves have a detergent, drying quality by reason of their bitterness, 

 jyhich is nevertheless not intense but quite bearable in the mouth: 

 that they are masticated instead of Pmang [Betel nut] with Sin [\c^t 

 f fmr Betle] and lime : that the people of Java and Bali plant the 

 l^rst variety near their houses for the sake of its fragrant flowers ; but 



J,rf/>,I^'^tleyanclTrimen, 3M. Plant,, 3 Beautifully figured in Berg iind Schmidt, 



an. ^!^'6). ' Offizinelle Gewaclise, xxx. c. 1863. 



^^^^^ctionary of the Indian Islanch, 1SG5. ' H^rh. Amh. v. G3. tab. 34. 



