Thieves ripped up and stole an extremely rare tree from the ground at a botanic garden.

The only recorded example of a Nothofagus gunnii in the country was taken from Kew's country garden at Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, near Haywards Heath.

The southern beech tree, collected by Kew staff in Tasmania in March 2000, was torn from the ground, causing root damage.

Staff discovered the theft last week during a routine inspection of exotic plants.

The stolen tree, a 2ft tall sapling, was being specially monitored because it is very hard to grow in this country.

In its native Tasmania the species provides magnificent autumn colour when most of the trees there are evergreen.

A spokesman for Wakehurst said: "Everyone there has their favourite spot from which to view this iconic tree."

Experts say it would be easy to identify the tree should it turn up in the horticultural trade because it is so rare, but it is unlikely the thief would dare show it in public.

Staff at Wakehurst believe the tree will probably die as there was considerable root damage when it was ripped from the earth and because of the careful attention it needs to grow.

The spokesman said: "While we still have thousands of other wonderful trees producing glorious autumn colour, it is so selfish of the thief to have deprived others of enjoying it.

"This was the only one that survived here from those our collectors brought back five years ago."

All that now remains at the site in Coates Wood are the two cages which were put round the tree to protect it from wild animals.

The seeds brought from the Royal Tasmanian Botanic Garden, Hobart, were grown by staff at Wakehurst into trees to be added to the National Collection of Nothofagus, which it holds.

Only two of the seedlings survived, and one died in the ground last year to leave the remaining specimen.

The spokesman added: "Now the tree has been lost not only for people to come and admire, it has also been lost to researchers who wanted to know more about it."