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Cyperus papyrus (Papyrus) Life
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Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
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Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Poales
> Family: Cyperaceae > Genus:
Cyperus
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A flock of Southern carmine bee-eaters (Merops
rupicoides) perched on papyrus (Cyperus papyrus), along
the Okovango River near Shakawe, Botswana. [photo
Colin Paterson-Jones ©] |
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Cyperus papyrus, Katambora,
Zambezi, Zambia. [photo Bart Wursten ©,
Flora
of Zimbabwe] |
Cyperus papyrus under cultivation in
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Cape Peninsula, South Africa. [photo
H.G.
Robertson, Iziko ©] |
Occurs on the margins of swamps and lakes in the warmer
regions of Africa, the Mediterranean and Madagascar. Within southern Africa its
indigenous distribution lies in the northern parts of the region, including
northern Namibia, northern Botswana, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. It
is also cultivated in other parts of the country but is vulnerable to frost. It
is well-known as the plant used by the ancient Egyptians in the manufacture of
paper called papyrus.
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