The omnipresent water fern Azolla caroliniana does not contain lignin

Several studies have reported the presence of large amounts of lignin in ubiquitously occurring species of the freshwater fern Azolla. Molecular analysis using flash pyrolysis and thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation shows, however, that neither the leaves nor the roots of Azolla contain lignin. Instead, both contain polyphenolic constituents that have a close resemblance to condensed tannins, albeit with a slightly different composition than the common tannins of higher plants.