Variety Characteristics and Appreciation Points of the Chunlan 'Guan Die' (Cymbidium goeringii 'Guan Die')

The leaves are slanted and upright, with the lower leaves slightly curved and drooping, having shallow leaf grooves, the leaf tips are slightly flat, the basal leaves are in a dew-receiving posture, the middle leaves are upright or extend horizontally, the leaf margins have dense fine serrations,, the leaf tips are slightly blunt, the leaf texture is glutinous and moist, with a bright sheen, the leaf color is green, and the leaf tips have "running dragon" (undulating) patterns. The leaf sheaths are tall and spread outward, with the sheath tips slightly soft. The large plants are somewhat similar in form to 'Song Mei' plants. The flower buds emerge with a green base and crimson-purple color, with the bud tips mixed with milky white.

The five petals are broad and large, with separated segments; the main petal has slightly tight margins, the front ends of the side petals curl backward, the lower half of the side petals is lip-petalized and dotted with sparse spots and patches, the large round tongue has fine red dots, and the broad mussel-shell-shaped petals embrace the column. The bract leaves are red-purple, the flower scape is long, and the flower appearance is rich and beautiful, making it a famous flower among green butterfly-type orchids.

Around the founding of New China, it was selected by the Wuxi orchid cultivator Shen Yuanru. After the ten-year catastrophe, only a few seedlings fortunately survived; it was introduced to the Jiangnan Orchid Garden at Yuantouzhu, and after several years it bloomed and was also called 'Yuan Die'.

The new shoots are purple-red, the leaf stalks are slender, dark green, without gloss, the leaf texture is thick, semi-drooping, and the leaf posture is elegant, with the sheath leaves purple-red.

 The flower scape is slender and long, reaching as high as the leaf canopy, the flower stem is purple-red, with the top node turning green; the bud sheaths are purple-red, dotted with brown-purple veins and mottling. The three outer petals are broad, with the main petal covering the embracing petals; the inner side of the broad mussel-shell-shaped petals is dotted with dark purple stripes. The lip is a large round tongue. The lower half of the side sepals on both sides is butterfly-transformed --- the white tongue is dotted with red markings, and is symmetrical with the red patches on the tongue. In terms of flower quality, it can be said to be one of the very few among traditional Chunlan butterfly flowers.