before a vowel symphy-, used as combining form of Gr. συμφυής growing or grown together, in some modern scientific terms, chiefly of Botany. Symphyantherous a., having the anthers united, synantherous, syngenesious (Treas. Bot., 1866). Symphycarpous a. [irreg. for *symphyocarpous, f. Gr. καρπός fruit], having confluent fruits. Symphynote a. [irreg. for *symphyonote, f. Gr. νῶτον back], having the valves of the shell soldered together at the back or hinge, as certain mollusks of the family Unionidæ. ǁ Symphyocephalus [mod.L., f. Gr. κεφαλή head], a double monster with a single head (Dorland, Med. Dict., 1901). ǁ Symphyogenesis [mod.L.: see GENESIS], formation of some structure by union of previously separate parts; so Symphyogenetic a., formed in this way. Symphyostemonous a. [Gr. στήμων, taken as = stamen], having the stamens united by their filaments, as a monadelphous flower.
1870. I. Lea, Synopsis Unionidæ, p. xv. I … presumed … that the first division of the family would be *symphynote and non-symphynote Unionidæ.
1887. Garnsey & Balfour, trans. De Bary’s Fungi, Gloss. 500. *Symphyogenetic, formed by union of previously separate elements.
