Andrew Lack said the discovery, made during a recent study, was "unexpected" [Oxford Brooks].
A rare orchid species has been discovered thriving on the roof of a university building for the first time.
During a recent survey, a white Helleborine orchid was discovered on the roof of a building belonging to Oxford Brookes University.
The species is listed as vulnerable on the UK Plant Red List and is one of more than 100 plant species growing on Brookes University's green roofs, which are a feature of university buildings constructed since 2012.
Andrew Lack, a senior lecturer in the university's department of environmental biology, said the discovery was "unexpected".
«"It was the find of the day, a completely unexpected orchid that I hadn't seen there before and which is found almost exclusively in the Chilterns area of Oxfordshire," he said.
A white Helleborine orchid was discovered on the roof of Oxford Brookes University.
The university explained that the orchid is a shade-loving perennial herbaceous plant that is typically found in forests, chalk thickets, and abandoned quarries.
It was located by Lack on the roof of the John Henry Brooks Building, which first opened to students in 2014.
Lak, who has been monitoring green roofs since 2017, said that while orchids are rare, other species have been highlighted in the past.
«"Until now, the real gem has been the common bruise with the magnificent name Viper's Bugloss, which is rarely found in these parts," he explained.
«"This beautiful flower with bright blue flowers is much loved by bees and grows in great numbers on the roofs of the John Henry Brooks building.".
Luck said green roofs represent "entire ecosystems, largely invisible above our heads," that "significantly increase the biodiversity of our campus.".
«"We must take care of them," he added.
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