World's smallest water lily stolen from Kew Gardens Since then he and the team at the Royal Botanic Gardens have managed to reproduce around 50 plants, but it still remains on the critically endangered list. The white and yellow flowers need very precise temperatures as well as exact oxygen and carbon dioxide levels to flourish and it is feared the stolen plant will soon die without the correct expertise. The theft occurred last Thursday morning with the culprits pulling or digging up the water lily from a shallow pond in the aquatic zone of the Princess of Wales Conservatory at the heart of the centre. The Metropolitan police have now launched an investigation and are appealing for help to find the plant and those responsible for its removal. Richard Barley, Director of Horticulture at Kew Gardens, said staff had been very upset by the theft which jeopardised the important conversation work they were undertaking. He said: "Our staff are dedicated to the conservation of plants and when incidents of this nature occur it is a blow to morale. We take theft of our invaluable scientific collection of plants very seriously and this matter is with the Metropolitan Police. A spokesman for the Royal Botanic Gardens said it was hard to put a value on the waterlilly, but as one of only a few in existence its rarity made it much sought after. Experts believe the tiny water lily may have been stolen to order by an enthusiast who had set their heart on owning one of the endangered species. Guy Barter, chief adviser, to the Royal Horticultural Society said: "Any garden open to the public is liable to suffer the theft of plants. People seem to think they are not doing any harm taking a cutting, seeds or pods "It is so common that head gardeners refer to it as "finger blight." However there is also a more sinister trade plants stolen to order and sold for profit and some collectors will sink to any depth to have something they really want. There are very strict international laws preventing the movement of certain plants and flowers such as orchids, without special certification, in order to prevent poachers picking them to extinction.