This dataset was used for Fig. 2 in "Comparative analysis to investigate a possible mechanism for cell enlargement in succulent leaves of Crassothonna capensis (Asteraceae)". Succulent plants, characterized by the presence of water-storage tissues, often exhibit distinctive leaf morphology. However, their developmental mechanisms remain largely unknown, partly due to the lack of an appropriate model plant. In this study, we evaluated the potential of Asteraceae species as a model system for investigating the mechanisms underlying leaf succulence. First, we analyzed the leaf anatomical and cellular characteristics of succulent plants in the genera Caputia, Crassothonna, Curio, Othonna, and Senecio. This DRYAD data shows that the internal cell size is much larger in succulent species than in normal-leaved species.

Images of the sections were used to measure epidermal and palisade cell sizes in leaves. Cells in the outermost layer of the leaf image and fully expanded inner cells were selected as the epidermal and leaf inner cells, respectively. Cell areas were calculated using Fiji (ImageJ2; ver. 2.9.0). To calculate cell area, six epidermal and inner leaf cells in each image were used as biological replicates. Then, the average leaf area (n = 3) was measured.