This genus was named after Amphiro, a sea nymph in the epic poem of Theogony by the Greek poet Hesiod.

[2] Amphiroa is composed of an erect thallus that is attached to the substrate with an insconspicous crustose base, and possess mature branches differentiated into alternating areas calcified intergenicula and uncalcified genicula that is composed of more than cell layer and does not exhibit any dimerous flange-like branches.

[5] Amphiroa exhibit a triphasic life cycle, however, their tetrasporangia, spermatangia, and carposporangia are borne out of a specialized organ called a conceptacle.

Amphiroa contains several bioactive compounds similar to other seaweeds, for example, the ellagic acid, gallic acid, and phenolic compounds within A. anceps has shown to be a potential anti-fungal agent,[8] moreover, the addition of A. fragilissima polysaccharides have shown to improve the gut of farmed shrimp.

[9] This genus is currently not being utilized and managed on a commercial scale due to a lack of culture technology.