Papyrus is a flowering aquatic plant belonging to the family of the papyrus It is an amber and fluffy herb that originates in Africa and forms high rows when it grows in groups similar to reed or woven into shallow water Papyrus has a long history of use especially by the ancient Egyptians It is the main ingredient in papyrus, the first paper ever made In addition there are parts of the plant that can be taken up and boats can be made from high floating stems But for the time being it is often grown for the manufacture of papyrus on a limited scale and for decorative purposes Papyrus grows in nature under bright sunlight in swampy swamps and lakesides throughout Africa Madagascar and the Mediterranean countries such as Sicily and the Levant