Bulbophyllum: how to recognize dead roots?

[tropterrarium]

I have a Chirrhopetalum sikkimense/Bulbophyllum roxburghii (Seller and Amer Orchid Society folks disagree on ID) for three years, that is growing well and flowering well, too. The plant is a pile of bulbs and leaves in a small pot, with roots covering everything like a spider web. I remove the spent stems of the inflorescences, but wonder whether the brown roots are dead and can be safely removed. The roots start out white with green tips (live for sure), then turn beige (hmmm?), then darker brown with the skin on the roots separating from the core (dead for sure).

So, how do you distinguish dead roots from those that are just a bit older but still perfectly functional? The question is particularly in the beige to brown transition area.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Try wetting them and lightly tugging on them. If the velamen covering stays on, leave them alone. If they come off then it's dead.

That's the only way I can think of.

[Chris147]

I don't own any bulbophyllums, but with all of the orchids that i own when i water them the healthy roots turn green. If they do no then they are dead. Also if the roots look brown and shrivled then it means that they are probably dead.

[tropterrarium]

Thanks King, that's easy enough.
Chris. The Bulbophyllum roots are very thin, about as thick as the nylon monofillament often used to mount specimens on bark/stick. So shriveling does not really work on those. Otherwise, yes, indeed, an easy way to tell with larger species.

Thanks again both of you.