PAPYRUS : PLANTE RICHE EN HISTOIRE QUI AIME AVOIR LES PIEDS DANS L’EAU. Le Quotidien du Jardin N°327

NewsJardinTV, the channel that shares your passion for plants, gardens, botany, nature, and gardening, offers you issue 327 of its show "Le Quotidien du Jardin" (The Garden Daily), produced by Nicole and Patrick Mioulane. StarSeedGold asks us the following question: What would be a great video about papyrus, along with its history, to accompany it, as you do so well... Papyrus belongs to the genus Cyperus (common name: nutsedge, about 700 species, family Cyperaceae). Cyperus papyrus, the Nile papyrus, or paper nutsedge, is a perennial that grows in waterlogged soils in subtropical climates. The triangular stems (culms) arise from buds that develop from a large woody rhizome. At the base, they bear true, sheathing, papery leaves shaped like reddish-brown triangular scales that quickly disappear in the absence of light and rot when the stump is submerged. The stems end with 50 to 150 linear, arched, star-shaped bracts (mistakenly mistaken for leaves). Jade-green in color, these bracts, called rays, are persistent, filiform, drooping, and bright green. They measure 20 to 40 cm. Some bear greenish-brown spikelets at the tips of the rays, which ensure sexual reproduction. The others are sterile and contribute to photosynthesis, due to the lack of functional leaves. Cyperus papyrus is the emblem of Lower Egypt (the Nile Delta region), where it was personified by the goddess Wadjet, depicted as a green cobra placed on the pharaoh's crown (to ensure his eternity), or as a woman with a lion's head. She symbolized growth and soil fertility. The alternate-leaved papyrus (Cyperus alternifolius L.), also known as umbrella papyrus or umbel plant, is more commonly cultivated. It is native to Madagascar and Arabia, but is widely distributed throughout temperate and tropical zones of the globe. It is a semi-aquatic (helophile) perennial with woody rhizomes forming a dense clump of upright, dark green, angular stems, 50 cm to 1.50 m long. These culms end in a whorl composed of 11 to 25 semi-rigid but arched, foliose bracts, 10 to 15 cm long. From June to October, some stems bear small spikelets of brown to pale yellow flowers, in compound umbels, 8 to 12 cm in diameter. Formerly considered solely as a houseplant, Cyperus alternifolius is increasingly often planted on the banks of garden ponds because, even if its aerial part is destroyed by the first frost, if its stump is submerged (maximum 50 cm), the plant can withstand temperatures of around -8°C. Cyperus alternifolius is propagated by cuttings by placing a terminal rosette with a piece of stem upside down on moist potting soil or in water. Cyperus papyrus cannot be propagated by cuttings, but it is easy to divide the stump. Papyrus was the first flexible writing medium, commonly used in the Mediterranean basin from ancient Egypt 5,000 years ago until the Early Middle Ages (11th century). The pith contained in the stem is used. It is cut into strips, macerated in water, then arranged in two perpendicular crossed layers, before being pressed and dried. The resulting sheets are glued together to form a roll. The name papyrus, altered by popular language to papilus, is the origin of the word papier, which appeared in the French language in the 13th century. The very tender basal part of the stem of Cyperus papyrus is edible. However, Cyperus esculentus, also known as the earth almond, is more commonly consumed, whose tubers, reminiscent of a nutty flavor, are eaten grilled or ground into flour to make cakes. The upper part of the Cyperus papyrus stem can be braided or woven. It was used to make baskets, mats, chests, sandals, ropes, shelters, and boats. Cradles were also made from it, the most famous being Moses's. According to the Bible, Moses' mother, Yokheved, set her 3-month-old son adrift on the Nile in a papyrus basket to escape the Pharaoh's massacre of newborn males. Thank you for watching this daily program. We hope you enjoyed this short video interlude. The entire NewsJardinTV team hopes you enjoy your time with us and looks forward to seeing you tomorrow at 7 p.m. for a new program: "THE GARDEN'S DAILY." It's on NewsJardinTV and nowhere else! The topic of the next episode will be: I planted a beautiful kiwi tree two years ago, but I haven't had any fruit yet. I need your advice. Thank you in advance.