How to distinguish Chunlan Wanzai from Ruimei
Dalin Hedie, selected and bred around 1990 by Pan Dalin of Hangzhou. A lotus-form outer butterfly, more than half of the petals transformed into butterfly form, with a stable flower shape, making it a rare outer butterfly of Chunlan.
1. Wanzai's petals (holding petals) are short and have flushed red marks, while Ruimei's have green veins.
2. The back of Wanzai's holding petals should be pure green, with silkworm-moth holding petals (can'e pengxin) and an arched, embracing charm. The back of Ruimei's holding petals bears red veins.
3. Wanzai's lip should be a small ruyi lip, while Ruimei's lip should be a V-shaped lip like the English letter V and a liuhai lip, and some are also like a ruyi lip.
4. Whether the top segment of Wanzai turns green or red cannot specifically determine the correctness of the variety; it may depend on the bract and lighting. Those with tighter sheaths and top segments not exposed may be green, while those exposed and subjected to photosynthesis may be red. Ruimei's flower stalk is similar to Wanzai's, so it is not easy to judge specifically from the flower stalk; multiple characteristics must be compared comprehensively.
5. Wanzai's leaf shape is slanted-upright leaves, wide in the middle, forming a fish-belly shape. The edge leaves have "xinglong," also called "chenglu leaves," "dragon raising its head," with shallow leaf grooves. They are generally not seedlings of the current year, and the leaves have black spots. Ruimei's leaf tips are sharp, the leaf veins are shallow, and the foot sheaths are high. The leaf count of strong Wanzai seedlings can reach 7-8 leaves, while Ruimei generally has 3-4 leaves, occasionally 5 leaves, and Ruimei with 6 leaves is rarely seen.
6. Wanzai's bud color: new buds are pale emerald green, with a slight purplish-red tinge.
7. Wanzai's bract leaves are dark purple, gradually becoming more intense inward, with green mixed at the pointed tips. Dark purplish-red veins run all the way to the top, the color is deep but not muddy, the bracts are round and broad, with rich green coloration on the upper part, and the base is dark purple.
8. Wanzai's three outer petals are short and round, with a pointed tip at the petal end. Before the flower opens, there is a white tip and white edge, and Ruimei is also similar.