Orchids, for starters

Photo by Christopher Gannon.

Kenny McCabe, manager of the greenhouse/Richard W. Pohl Conservatory atop Bessey Hall, checks the growth of orchid dendrobium kingianum Tuesday morning inside the orchid room, one of his 75 orchid species that bloom year-round. About 20 different rooms house a conservatory plant collection, plant species for instructional labs and plants for various research programs and projects -- approximately 1,000 plant species in all.

The greenhouse is open to the public, free of charge, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 2 p.m. on Friday. The greenhouse website includes a plant photo index, for those seeking a particular species of plant.