Amphigam

/ˈæmfɪɡæm/ noun

Definition

An organism that reproduces both sexually and asexually, able to use both methods of reproduction.

Etymology

From Greek 'amphi-' (both) and 'gamos' (marriage or reproduction). A botanical term used in 19th-century plant biology.

Kelly Says

Many plants are amphigams—strawberries can make seeds sexually but also spread through runners asexually—which is why they're so successful that they've taken over meadows worldwide without needing sexual reproduction at all.

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