Orchid thought to be extinct in UK found on roof of London bank

Colony of small-flowered tongue orchid plants discovered in rooftop garden of investment bank Nomura

A rare species of orchid believed to have been extinct in the UK has been discovered on the roof of an office building in the City of London.

Serapis parviflora, also known as small-flowered tongue orchid, was found growing in the 11th-floor rooftop garden of the Japanese investment bank Nomura. It is usually found in the Mediterranean basin and the Atlantic coast of France, Spain and Portugal.