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Geologist Paula Messina showed that the ground is covered by argillaceous sediments and bacterial mats, forming under wet conditions a very slippery surface.

The more argillaceous and the less siliceous the soil the more readily can balls of earth be retained about the roots.

Some were partially painted with a white argillaceous earth; others were blackened with charcoal; one of the men was daubed all over with a white pigment.

Laterite, lat′ėr-īt, n. an argillaceous sandstone of a reddish or brick colour found in India, esp. in Ceylon.

The cementing material may be siliceous or argillaceous, and is sometimes calcareous.