The DFRC (Derivatization Followed by Reductive Cleavage) analysis of lignin gives phenylpropanoid (C6-C3 type) degradation products from arylether linkages and can be used to detect lignin specifically from plant tissues, excluding other (poly) phenolic substances. DFRC analysis was employed to investigate the lignin composition in broad-leaves of typical Japanese angiosperms. Many leaves gave both guaiacyl- (G, 3-methoxyphenyl-) and syringyl- (S, 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl-) type degradation products, which indicates the existence of lignin in angiospermous leaves, and the leaf lignin has common structural elements with xylem lignin of the same tree. However, the results sometimes differed among species. Persimmon and cherry leaves revealed only trace amounts of degradation products. These results show the heterogeneous distribution of leaf lignin in angiospermous tree species. The syringyl/guaiacyl ratio of leaf lignin DFRC products was apparently lower than that of xylem lignin, which suggests the role of leaf lignin as a material to reinforce leaf vascular tissue for water conduction, like the low S/G ratio in woody vessel element cells. © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS.