Identification Methods for Orchid Rui Die and a Detailed Explanation of Variety Stability

In today's orchid world, everyone wants to own a high-grade butterfly orchid, especially Rui Die and multi-petal butterfly orchids, but their variability is hard to predict. Setting aside the famous butterfly orchids of the orchid world, whenever a new one appears, it is often difficult to judge its quality and stability, especially for beginners. The author does not dare to claim to be an expert, but occasionally has small gains to offer for verification.
Allorchid petals, in whole or in any part, that transform into lip-petal form are a phenomenon of labellumization and are called butterfly flowers. This is a type oforchidmutation phenomenon.
If theflower'spetals are all labellumized, then it is Rui Die (Three-Star Butterfly).
Mutations such as Rui Die and multi-petal butterfly orchids are sometimes accidental appearances with unstable traits that do not reappear the next year, and sometimes have fixed traits so that newly propagated shoots also bloom with this transformation.
The key to identifying whether it is truly Rui Die is to look at the butterfly transformation phenomenon of the petals:
1. All the petals must be butterfly-transformed.
2. The butterfly-transformed part should be true labellumization.
3. The labellumized part should have brightly colored patches or spots (except for plain butterfly orchids).
Some so-called Rui Die appear to have three lips, but on closer inspection, the petals are no different from normal petals, with no obvious labellumization phenomenon on the petals, only some moss-like color spots added on the petals. This type of "butterfly flower," commonly called "painted face," is not a true Rui Die.
The appearance of butterfly flowers and their stability are still a mystery to this day.
Among butterfly flowers, the most unstable are Rui Die and multi-petal butterfly orchids, especiallywild-collected orchids。
　　Having grown orchids for many years, I occasionally have small gains to share with fellow orchid enthusiasts for their consideration.Over the years, I have occasionally had small successes, which I share with fellow orchid enthusiasts to enjoy together.
1. Nasal head residual transformation: This is an important indicator of the stability of Rui Die and multi-petal butterfly orchids. Nasal head residual transformations include double heads, tiny heads, columnar heads (matchstick heads), fused heads, and so on. Among these, the most valuable is when the nasal head becomes columnar, and the smallest is the best. If the nasal head is normal, then the possibility that the butterfly form will not reappear the next year is greatest.
2. Symmetry: The labellumized parts of the two petals should be symmetrical. Butterfly flowers with disordered and asymmetrical lip transformation are mostly accidental appearances.
3. Even arrangement: For multi-petal butterfly flowers, in addition to each part being symmetrical, emphasis is placed on the symmetrical and even arrangement of the butterfly-transformed petals.
4. Multi-lip butterfly flowers also emphasize nasal head variation, with tiny, columnar nasal heads being the finest.
5. The labellumized part should have a lower foot, an upper top, and penetration. This is also one of the standards for judging the quality of butterfly flowers.
Of course, these are not absolute, and must still be combined with other references, such as leaf type (strange leaves, butterfly leaves, dragon leaves, etc.), multiple flowers (strange butterfly) on the same plant, and also personal orchid-growing experience and knowledge.
In short, butterfly flowers are a mystery. Whoever figures them out possesses them.