A tree described as the botanical equivalent of a live dinosaur has been planted in Sussex by actor and director Kenneth Branagh.

Wakehurst Place in Ardingly, near Haywards Heath, and its parent The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in West London are now home to the rediscovered prehistoric Wollemi pine.

The Jurassic tree, one of the rarest in the world, was thought to have been extinct for two million years.

The pine is closely related to the monkey puzzle tree. It has two ranks of leaves along its branches and its bark looks bubbly.

Wakehurst Place garden manager Chris Clennett said: "Having one of the world's rarest trees here adds significantly to the development of the Southern Hemisphere Garden.

"This 500-acre botanic garden is safeguarding exotic and unusual plants from the other side of the world."

Seeds of the Wollemi pine are stored in the vaults of the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, along with 11,000 other species, to protect against extinction.

Mr Clennett said: "This is a very exciting moment for Wakehurst Place, which this year celebrates 40 years under Kew's management."

The original plant was discovered by David Noble while backpacking in the Blue Mountains in Australia in 1994. The National Parks officer noticed the tree was unusual and experts later proved its ancient lineage.

A major conservation project was launched and its location kept a closely guarded secret until it was planted yesterday.

The Wollemia nobilis was recorded in fossil records dating back 90 million years and there are thought to be fewer than 100 growing in the wild.