relationship between plants?

[DirtyCoconuts]

I am very superficially familiar with the distinction between gradistic and cladistic taxonomy and the notion that it is NOT the factors that we see or do not see between members but common ancestry that better defines taxonomy

that said, some things that look similar or act similar are very often related....this brings me to my specific question which then branched into a larger thought.

are Bulbophyllum maximum and Bulbophyllum purpureorhachis related? they both have very similar inflorescences (and quite unique, at that) somewhat similar flowers and yet different growth habits, shapes of the structure and mostly SIZE.


then i was thinking about how specialized the orchid can be and how unrelated members of the same genus can be. made me wonder if common physical characteristics are more dominant in the way you think about orchids (ie all the wide leaf paphs or bifolate catts) or is it only about lineage?