What material comes from a reed-like plant and can be used for writing after being split and dried?

The correct answer is papyrus, which is made from the pith of the papyrus plant, a reed-like species historically abundant in the Nile region of Egypt. The process involves cutting the stems of the plant, slicing them into thin strips, and then laying them out in layers, pressing and drying them to form a sheet suitable for writing. This material was widely used in ancient times, particularly in Egypt, for various purposes, including documentation, literature, and correspondence.

While papyri refers to scrolls or sheets made from papyrus and could also relate to the writings themselves, it does not answer the question about the source material used for writing. Parchment, derived from processed animal skins, and vellum, a finer quality of parchment, are different forms of writing surfaces entirely. They do not come from a plant or the specific process described in the question. Thus, the answer highlights the unique characteristics of papyrus as a writing material sourced directly from a plant.