papyrus

n. (pl. Papyri) 1 aquatic plant of n. Africa. 2 a writing-material made in ancient egypt from the pithy stem of this. B text written on this. [latin from greek]

n. A tall rushlike plant (Cyperus Papyrus) of the Sedge family, formerly growing in Egypt, and now found in Abyssinia, Syria, Sicily, etc. The stem is triangular and about an inch thick.