Editing Cyperus papyrus

{{short description|Species of flowering plant in the sedge family Cyperaceae}}
{{speciesbox
| name = 
| image = Cyperus papyrus6.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref>{{Cite iucn|title=Papyrus Sedge ''Cyperus papyrus''|page=e.T164158A120152171|last=Beentje, H.J. & Lansdown, R.V.|year=2018|access-date=22 March 2022|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T164158A120152171.en}}</ref>
| genus = Cyperus
| species = papyrus
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]|

| range_map = Cyperus papyrus map.svg
}}

'''''Cyperus papyrus''''', better known by the common names '''papyrus''',<ref name="RHSPF" /> '''papyrus sedge''', '''paper reed''', '''Indian matting plant''', or '''Nile grass''', is a species of [[aquatic plant|aquatic]] [[flowering plant]] belonging to the sedge family [[Cyperaceae]]. It is a [[Hardiness (plants)|tender]] herbaceous [[perennial]], forming tall stands of reed-like swamp vegetation in shallow water.

In nature, it grows in full sun, in flooded swamps, and on lake margins throughout Africa (where it is native),<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Cyperus papyrus - Plant Finder |url=http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=a637 |access-date=2021-02-20 |website=www.missouribotanicalgarden.org}}</ref> [[Madagascar]], and the [[Mediterranean region]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Cyperus papyrus |url=http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantcd/cyperuspap.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424004722/http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantcd/cyperuspap.htm |archive-date=2017-04-24 |access-date=2015-03-12 |work=PlantZAfrica.com}}</ref> It has been introduced to tropical regions worldwide, such as the Indian subcontinent, South America, and the Caribbean.

Along with its close relatives, papyrus sedge has a very long history of use by humans, notably by the [[Ancient Egypt]]ians (as it is the source of [[papyrus]] paper, one of the first types of paper ever made).<ref name=":0" /> Parts of the plant can be eaten, and the highly buoyant stems can be made into boats. It is now often cultivated as an [[ornamental plant]].

==Description==
[[Image:kew.gardens.papyrus.plant.arp.jpg|thumb|upright|Papyrus plant (''Cyperus papyrus'') at [[Kew Gardens]], London]]
This tall, robust [[aquatic plant]] can grow {{Convert|4|to|5|m}} high,<ref name=FloraBase>{{FloraBase|name=''Cyperus papyrus''|id=18198}}</ref> but on the margins of high altitude lakes such as [[Lake Naivasha]] in Kenya and [[Lake Tana]] in Ethiopia, at altitudes around {{Convert|6000|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}} the papyrus [[Glossary of botanical terms#culm|culms]] can measure up to {{Convert|9|m|ft|abbr=on|frac=2}} in length, with an additional {{Convert|18|in|cm|abbr=out|order=flip}} for the inflorescence (a&nbsp;spicate [[umbel]]; i.e. each of the up to one thousand rays of the umbel terminates in a spike of small flowers) for a total height of {{Convert|31|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}}.<ref>Correspondence with Keith Thompson of the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Thompson |first=Keith |display-authors=etal |date=June 1979 |title=Papyrus Swamp Development in the Upemba Basin, Zaire...etc |journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=78 |issue=4 |page=300 }}</ref> Each culm is a single {{nowrap|internode{{px2}}{{mdash}}{{px2}}}}the longest known of any plant. At Lake Naivasha, the culms, triangular in cross-section, were as much as {{Convert|7|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}} on a side in width.<ref>Thompson, corresp. loc. cit,</ref> It forms a grass-like clump of triangular green stems that rise up from thick, woody [[rhizome]]s. Each stem is topped by a dense cluster of thin, bright green, thread-like rays around {{Convert|10|to|30|cm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} in length, resembling a feather duster when the plant is young. Greenish-brown [[flower]] clusters eventually appear at the ends of the rays, giving way to brown, nut-like [[fruit]]s.<ref name=":0" />

Although no [[leaves]] are apparent above the soil line, the younger parts of the [[rhizome]] are covered by red-brown, papery, triangular scales, which also cover the base of the culms. Technically, these are reduced leaves, so strictly it is not quite correct to call this plant fully "leafless".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=''Cyperus papyrus'' (Egyptian Paper Reed, Giant Papyrus, Paper Reed, Papyrus) {{!}} North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox|url=https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cyperus-papyrus/|access-date=2021-02-20|website=plants.ces.ncsu.edu}}</ref>

==Ecology==
[[Image:Papyrus along the Nile in Uganda - by Michael Shade.jpg|thumb|right|Papyrus growing wild on the banks of the Nile in [[Uganda]]]]
Papyrus can be found in tropical rain forests, tolerating annual temperatures of {{Convert|20|to|30|°C|°F}} and a [[soil pH]] of 6.0 to 8.5. It flowers in late summer, and prefers full sun to partly shady conditions. Like most tropical plants, it is sensitive to frost. In the United States, it has become [[Invasive species|invasive]] in [[Florida]] and has escaped from cultivation in [[Louisiana]], [[California]], and [[Hawaii]].<ref name=":1" />

Papyrus sedge forms vast stands in swamps, shallow lakes, and along stream banks throughout the wetter parts of Africa, but it has become rare in the [[Nile Delta]]. In deeper waters, it is the chief constituent of the floating, tangled masses of vegetation known as ''[[sudd]]''. It also occurs in [[Madagascar]], and some Mediterranean areas such as [[Sicily]] and the [[Levant]].

The "feather-duster" flowering heads make ideal nesting sites for many social species of birds. As in most sedges, [[pollination]] is by wind, not insects, and the mature fruits after release are distributed by water.

Papyrus is a [[C4 carbon fixation|C4]] sedge that forms highly productive [[Habitat#Monotypic habitat|monotypic]] stands over large areas of wetland in Africa.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

==Cultivation==
[[File:Egyptian Girl Harvesting Papyrus.jpg|thumb|244x244px|Egyptian girl harvesting papyrus in the [[Nile Delta]]]]
The papyrus plant is relatively easy to grow from seed, though in Egypt, it is more common to split the [[rootstock]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Cyperus_papyrus.html|title=''Cyperus papyrus'' L.|publisher=Purdue University|access-date=December 30, 2014}}</ref> and grows quite fast once established. Extremely moist soil or roots sunken in the water is preferred and the plant can flower all year long.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cyperus+papyrus|title=Cyperus papyrus - Useful Tropical Plants|website=tropical.theferns.info|access-date=2018-04-17}}</ref> Vegetative propagation is the suggested process of creating new plants. It is done by splitting the rhizomes into small groups and planting normally.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pza.sanbi.org/cyperus-papyrus|title=Cyperus papyrus {{!}} PlantZAfrica.com|website=pza.sanbi.org|access-date=2018-04-17}}</ref> It can reach heights of up to 16 feet tall.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://wimastergardener.org/article/papyrus-cyperus-papyrus/|title=Papyrus, ''Cyperus papyrus''|work=Master Gardener Program|access-date=2018-04-17|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-04-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180417110005/https://wimastergardener.org/article/papyrus-cyperus-papyrus/|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''C.''&nbsp;''papyrus'' is considered to be hardy in [[Hardiness zone|USDA hardiness zones]] 9 and 10.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

''C. papyrus''<ref name="RHSPF">
{{cite web
|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/5206/Cyperus-papyrus/Details
|title=''Cyperus papyrus'' AGM
|publisher=[[Royal Horticultural Society]]
|access-date=2012-10-16
}}</ref> and the dwarf [[cultivar]] ''C. papyrus'' 'Nanus'<ref>
{{cite web
|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/72447/Cyperus-papyrus-Nanus/Details
|title=''Cyperus papyrus'' 'Nanus' AGM
|publisher=[[Royal Horticultural Society]]
|access-date=2020-05-17
}}</ref> have gained the [[Royal Horticultural Society]]'s [[Award of Garden Merit]] (confirmed 2017).<ref>{{cite web  | url= https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105180412/https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pdfs/agm-lists/agm-ornamentals.pdf |archive-date=2018-01-05 |url-status=live | title = AGM Plants - Ornamental | date = July 2017 | page = 22 | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 24 January 2018}}</ref>

==Papyrus in history==
{{Main|Papyrus}}
[[Image:Papyrus.jpg|thumb|300px|Papyrus paper]]
In Ancient Egypt, papyrus was used for various purposes such as baskets, sandals, blankets, medicine, incense, and boats. The woody root was used to make bowls and utensils, and was burned for fuel. The [[Papyrus Ebers]] refers to the use of soft papyrus tampons by Egyptian women in the 15th century BCE.<ref>[http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2252/who-invented-tampons Who invented tampons?] June 6, 2006 The Straight Dope</ref> Egyptians made efficient use of all parts of the plant. Papyrus was an important "gift of the Nile" which is still preserved and perpetuated in Egyptian culture.<ref>[http://egypt.mrdonn.org/papyrus.html], The Ancient Egypt website, retrieved on November 15, 2016.</ref>

Egyptians used the plant (which they called ''aaru'', or the subspecies ''C. p. papyrus'',<ref>https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77168767-1</ref> which came very close to extinction, but was rediscovered in 1968.<ref>{{cite book |last=Day |first=David |title=Doomsday Book of Animals |date=1981 |publisher=Viking Press |location=New York |page=273}}</ref>) for many purposes, including for making papyrus paper. Its name has an uncertain origin, but was rendered in [[Hellenistic Greek]] as πάπυρος.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oxford English Dictionary |url=https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/137234?redirectedFrom=papyrus#eid |access-date=16 October 2019 |publisher=OED}}</ref>

In the [[Nile Delta]], ''Cyperus papyrus'' was widely cultivated in ancient times. It is for example depicted on a restored [[stucco]] fragment from the palace of [[Amenhotep III]] near the present-day village of [[Malkata]]. Currently, only a small population remains in Egypt, in [[Wadi El Natrun]]. [[Theophrastus]]'s ''History of Plants'' (Book iv. 10) states that it grew in [[Syria]], and according to [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]]'s ''[[Natural History (Pliny)|Natural History]]'', it was also a native plant of the [[Niger River]] and the [[Euphrates]].<ref name="eb1911">{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Papyrus|volume=20|pages=743–745|first=Edward Maunde|last=Thompson}}</ref> Neither the explorer [[Peter Forsskål]], an [[apostles of Linnaeus|apostle of Carl Linnaeus]], in the 18th century, nor the Napoleonic expedition saw it in the delta.

Aside from papyrus, several other members of the genus ''Cyperus'' may also have been involved in the multiple uses Egyptians found for the plant. Its flowering heads were linked to make garlands for the gods in gratitude. The pith of young shoots was eaten both cooked and raw.<ref name="eb1911" /> Its woody root made bowls and other utensils and was burned for fuel. From the stems were made [[reed boat]]s (seen in [[bas-relief]]s of the Fourth Dynasty showing men cutting papyrus to build a boat; similar boats are still made in southern [[Sudan]]), sails, mats, cloth, cordage, and sandals. Theophrastus states that King Antigonus made the rigging of his fleet of papyrus, an old practice illustrated by the ship's cable, wherewith the doors were fastened when Odysseus slew the suitors in his hall (''[[Odyssey]]'' xxi. 390).<ref name="eb1911" />

The adventurer [[Thor Heyerdahl]] had a boat built for him of papyrus, [[Thor Heyerdahl#Boats Ra and Ra II|''Ra'']], in an attempt to demonstrate that ancient African or Mediterranean people could have reached America. He was unsuccessful with this boat.

Fishermen in the [[Okavango Delta]] use small sections of the stem as floats for their nets.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Boar, R. R., D. M. Harper and C. S. Adams. 1999. Biomass Allocation in Cyperus papyrus in a Tropical Wetland, Lake Naivasha, Kenya. 1999. ''Biotropica'' 3: 411.
*Chapman, L.J., C.A. Chapman, R. Ogutu-Ohwayo, M. Chandler, L. Kaufman and A.E. Keiter. 1996. Refugia for endangered fishes from an introduced predator in Lake Nabugabo, Uganda. ''Conservation Biology'' 10: 554–561.
*Chapman, L.J., C.A. Chapman, P.J. Schofield, J.P. Olowo, L. Kaufman, O. Seehausen and R. Ogutu-Ohwayo. 2003. Fish faunal resurgence in Lake Nabugabo, East Africa. ''Conservation Biology'' 17: 500–511.
*Gaudet, John. 1975. Mineral concentrations in papyrus in various African swamps. ''Journal of Ecology'' 63: 483–491.
*Gaudet, John. 1976. Nutrient relationships in the detritus of a tropical swamp.''Archiv für Hydrobiologie'' 78: 213–239.
*Gaudet, John. 1977. Natural drawdown on Lake Naivasha, Kenya and the formation of papyrus swamps. ''[[Aquatic Botany]]'' 3: 1-47.
*Gaudet, John. 1977. Uptake and loss of mineral nutrients by papyrus in tropical swamps. ''Ecology'' 58: 415–422.
*Gaudet, John. 1978. Effect of a tropical swamp on water quality. ''Verh. Internat. Ver. Limnol.'' 20: 2202–2206.
*Gaudet, John. 1978. Seasonal changes in nutrients in a tropical swamp. ''Journal of Ecology'' 67: 953–981.
*Gaudet, John. 1980. Papyrus and the ecology of Lake Naivasha. ''National Geographic Society Research Reports''. 12: 267–272.
*Gaudet, J. and J. Melack. 1981. Major ion chemistry in a tropical African lake basin. ''Freshwater Biology'' 11: 309–333.
*Gaudet, J. and C. Howard-Williams. 1985. "The structure and functioning of African swamps." In (ed. Denny) ''The Ecology and Management of African Wetland Vegetation.'' Dr.w.Junk, Pub., Dordrecht (pp.&nbsp;154–175).
*Gaudet, John. 1991.  Structure and function of African floodplains. ''Journal of the East African Natural Historical Society''. 82(199): 1-32.
*Harper, D.M., K.M. Mavuti and S. M. Muchiri. 1990: Ecology and management of Lake Naivasha, Kenya, in relation to climatic change, alien species introductions and agricultural development. ''Environmental Conservation'' 17: 328–336.
*Harper, D. 1992. The ecological relationships of aquatic plants at Lake Naivasha, Kenya. ''[[Hydrobiologia]]''. 232: 65–71.
*Howard-Williams, C. and K. Thompson. 1985. ''The conservation and management of African wetlands.'' In (ed. Denny) The Ecology and Management of African Wetland Vegetation. Dr.w.Junk, Pub., Dordrecht (pp.&nbsp;203–230).
*Jones, M.B. and T. R. Milburn. 1978. Photosynthesis in Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.), ''Photosynthetica''. 12: 197 - 199.
*Jones, M. B. and F. M. Muthuri. 1997. Standing biomass and carbon distribution in a papyrus (Cyperus Papyrus L) swamp on Lake Naivasha, Kenya. ''Journal of Tropical Ecology''. 13: 347–356.
*Jones M.B. and S. W. Humphries. 2002. Impacts of the C4 sedge Cyperus papyrus L. on carbon and water fluxes in an African wetland. ''[[Hydrobiologia]]'', Volume 488, pp.&nbsp;107–113.
*Maclean, I.M.D. 2004. An ecological and socio-economic analysis of biodiversity conservation in East African wetlands. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of East Anglia, Norwich.
*Maclean, I.M.D., M. Hassall, M. R. Boar and I. Lake. 2006. Effects of disturbance and habitat loss on papyrus-dwelling passerines. ''Biological Conservation.'', 131: 349–358.
*Maclean, I.M.D., M. Hassall, R. Boar, R. and O. Nasirwa. 2003a. Effects of habitat degradation on avian guilds in East African papyrus Cyperus papyrus L. swamps. ''Bird Conservation International'', 13: 283–297.
*Maclean, I.M.D., R. Tinch, M. Hassall and R.R. Boar, R.R. 2003b. Social and economic use of wetland resources: a case study from Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda. Environmental Change and Management Working Paper No. 2003-09, Centre for Social and Economic Research into the Global Environment, University of East Anglia, Norwich.
*Maclean, I.M.D., R. Tinch, M. Hassall and R.R. Boar. 2003c. Towards optimal use of tropical wetlands: an economic evaluation of goods derived from papyrus swamps in southwest Uganda. Environmental Change and Management Working Paper No. 2003-10, Centre for Social and Economic Research into the Global Environment, University of East Anglia, Norwich.
*Messenger Dally. 1908 How papyrus defeated South Sydney and assisted in making Eastern Suburbs great
*Muthuri, F. M., M. B. Jones, and S.K. Imbamba. 1989. Primary productivity of papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) in a tropical swamp - Lake Naivasha, Kenya, ''Biomass'', 18: 1 - 14.
*Muthuri, F. M. and M. B. Jones. 1997. Nutrient distribution in a papyrus swamp: Lake Naivasha, Kenya. ''Aquatic Botany'', 56: 35–50.
*Owino, A. O. and P. G. Ryan. 2006. Habitat associations of papyrus specialist birds at three papyrus swamps in western Kenya. ''African Journal of Ecology'' 44: 438–443.
*Thompson, K. 1976. Swamp development in the head waters of the White Nile. In (ed.J. Rzoska) ''The Nile. Biology of an Ancient River.''Monographiae Biologicae, 29. Dr.W. Junk b.v., The Hague.
*Thompson, K., P.R. Shewry & H.W. Woolhouse. 1979. Papyrus swamp development in the Upemba Basin, Zaire: Studies of population structure in Cyperus papyrus stands. ''Botanical Journal of the Linn. Soc.'' 78: 299–316.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Cyperus papyrus}}
*[http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Cyperus_papyrus.html Purdue University: ''Cyperus papyrus'' factsheet]
*[http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/cypa_pap.cfm Floridata]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20021225013332/http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/acc_num/198500175.html University of Connecticut Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Conservatory]
*{{AfricanPlants|Cyperus papyrus }}

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{{Taxonbar|from=Q158808}}

[[Category:Cyperus|papyrus]]
[[Category:Aquatic plants]]
[[Category:Flora of Africa]]
[[Category:Fiber plants]]
[[Category:Nile Delta]]
[[Category:Papyrus|*]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]
[[Category:Garden plants of Africa]]