ampho-, amph-, amphi-

The sexual orientation to perceive erotic attraction towards both sexes, bisexuality: In her dreams, Jill felt a sexual desire towards her girlfriend, Sally, but also towards her boyfriend, Jim. She read later that this phenomenon was termed amphierotism.

A very old botanical term pertaining to plants lacking any visible reproductive organs: The obsolete word amphigamy concerns particularly cryptogams, like mosses, ferns, and fungi.

1. In botany, a reference to a plant that has underground as well as aerial flowers: Some plants are amphigean in that they produce flowers from a rootstock.
2. Concerning something that extends or spreads around the Earth: Various amphigean plant species or genera exist at about the same latitude around the world.

A leucite that is a mineral having a glassy fracture, occurring in translucent trapezohedral crystals: An amphigene is a silicate of alumina and potash and is found in the volcanic rocks of Italy, especially at Vesuvius.

In botany, Sexual development; the fusion of two dissimilar gametes; amphigony: In his botany book, Jeff read about amphigenesis that described the sexual reproduction or propagation of plants.

A reference to certain parasitic fungi growing on both sides of leaves: Amphigenous development can be exemplified by lichens.

Lichens are thallophytic plants formed by a mutualistic combination of an alga and a fungus, the algal component being a green or blue-green alga, and the fungal usually an ascomycete.

Possession of both ovarian and testicular tissue; true hermaphroditism: In class, Jeff learned about amphigonadism as being the existence of both male and female reproductive tissue in the same organism.

A reference to or arising from aphigony: In class, Judy learned about Amphigonic sexual reproduction by egg-producing female insects, like certain aphids, rather than through asexual reproduction.

Pertaining to or derived from both parents: While Jane was reading in her book on genetics, she came across amphigonous parentage which meant that she was the offspring from her father and her mother.

Obsolete, sexual reproduction: The biological term amphigony pertains to the complete and lasting union of female and male gametes. involving cross fertilization.

A meaningless or nonsensical piece of writing: An amphigory is especially, one often written in verse form and intended as a parody.

Concerning something that completely surrounds the oogonial stalk: An amphigynous fungi, has an antheridium through which the oogonial initial grows.

A diploid nucleus containing two haploid sets of chromosomes: An amphikaryon is a cell nucleus that incorporates or holds two haploid groups of chromosomes.

A microorganism that is either aerobic or anaerobic, depending on the environment.

1. In nematodes, reproduction in which sperm and eggs come from separate individuals (cross-fertilization).
2. Nematodes that are capable of interbreeding freely and of producing fertile offspring.