Bloemtype

Bloemtype is a term used in botany and horticulture to describe the exterior form of a flower. It denotes the typical shape and structure of the bloom, including the arrangement of petals, the corolla, and the symmetry of the flower. The concept helps breeders, growers and florists communicate about appearance and handling, independent of color, fragrance, or leaf characteristics.

Several features are considered when defining bloemtype: symmetry (actinomorphic, radial; versus zygomorphic, bilateral), petal arrangement (polypetalous with separate petals vs gamopetalous with fused petals forming a tube or lip), the overall corolla shape (tubular, trumpet-shaped, campanulate/bell-shaped, cup-shaped, star-shaped), and whether the bloom is solitary or part of a larger inflorescence. The term is often applied at the level of cultivars or species to describe notable bloom architecture.

In roses, for example, bloemtype commonly distinguishes single, semi-double and double forms, reflecting petal proliferation and silhouette. In daisy-family crops, ligulate or ray-flower types are described as part of bloemtype. The classification is pragmatic and varies among plant groups; it is not a universal taxonomic category, and exact definitions may differ across floricultural traditions.

Because bloemtype emphasizes form, it interacts with other horticultural traits such as size, color and bloom time. It is primarily descriptive rather than diagnostic, and researchers may use more precise morphology terms aligned to specific plant families.