 Cutan is believed to be a hydrocarbon polymer, whereas cutin is a polyester, but the structure and synthesis of cutan are not yet fully understood.Cutan is not present in as many plants as once thought; for instance it is absent in "Ginkgo".Cutan was first detected as a non-saponifiable component, resistant to de-esterification by alkaline hydrolysis, that increases in amount in cuticles of some species such as "Clivia miniata" as they reach maturity, apparently replacing the cutin secreted in the early stages of cuticle development (Schmidt and Schönherr, 1982).