Bulbophyllums and Their Allies

The plants are divided into one leaf per pseudobulb, two leaves per pseudobulb, plants moved from the Bulbophyllum to another genus, and related plants are each given a chapter of their own. I found the descriptions in these chapters inadequate to ever permit someone to try to identify their plant using this book as a guide. In fact, this makes the book very disappointing since the main purpose of purchasing a book on a single plant genus is usually for the purposes of identifying plants and learning about their individual care needs. This book definitely falls short.

Orchid producers will enjoy the final chapter on hybrids. You’ll learn about the history of some early hybrids and cultivars. If you seek to create your own hybrids, you’ll find this chapter interesting.

Who Should Buy This Book?

In my opinion, this book is only suitable for the dedicated hobbyist specializing in Bulbophyllums. It is not “reader friendly” because of the writing style and the lack of photographs scattered throughout the book. There is a section of colored plates illustrating a few of the species mentioned in the text. This book must be used with another orchid book containing far more pictures if the newcomer to orchid collecting is to find it valuable. It is rare for me to be disappointed in a book about orchids, but this, unfortunately, is one of those times. My advice? Save your money unless you specialize in this particular genus.

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