What is the difference between Bulbophyllum and Cirrhopetalum?

[Paul Mc]

I'm just curious because it seems that sometimes people use them interchangeably. Perhaps I'm misreading other people's websites, but sometimes they will say something like the following:

"Bulbophyllum (Cirrhopetalum) sikkimensis"

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and answers!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Sometimes people do use them interchangeably. There is some debate whether certain Bulbophyllums should be separated to form the genus Cirrhopetalum.

For example:

Bulbophyllum (Cirrhopetalum) purpurascens

I've come to generally recognize Cirrhopetalums as those that have umbels of flowers that superficially resemble daisies.

However, there are a few Cirrhopetalum spp. that don't fall neatly into my description.

So, I'm assuming anything in the Bulbophyllum complex that organizes its flowers in an umbel type inflorescence.

What I've just said should just be taken with a grain of salt. At this point it's just an observation I've made of the genus Cirrhopetalum.

[Amanda L]

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. I ordered a Bulbophyllum caudatum from Oak Hill and when I got my plant the tag says Cirrhopetalum caudatum. Their website didn't say anything about them being the same. As a matter of fact they didn't say anything about Cirrhopetalum.

[Tindomul]

I think there is a lot of confusion as to what is a cirrho and what is not. Many that once were Cirrhopetalums are now Bulbos (at least 40 species) and I don't think any plants have been moved from the Bulbo genus to the Cirrho genus. At least not recently?????? Not sure.

But I also use King's loose definition. Otherwise I consult books. Cirrhopetalums have angled pseudobulbs, flowers (the inflorescence) is in the form of a pseudoumbel (almost an umbel, think carrot flowers). And the flowers are spread in a semicircle. The petals are often curved, hence the name (Cirrho meaning curl or tendril).