The data include two comma-delimited (csv) files and one word document. The data1.csv file saves the leaf raw data (including leaf lamina length, width, area, perimeter, fresh mass, and dry mass) from five groups of Phyllostachys edulis (Poaceae) differing in culm age. The bamboo plants grew in the Purple Mountain, Nanjing, China. The data2.csv file saves the leaf raw data (including leaf lamina length, width, area, perimeter, fresh mass, and dry mass) of 21 species from three families (nine Lauraceae species, six Fagaceae species and six Ulmaceae species) growing in Nanjing, China. Among the 21 species, we measured the data of leaf petiole fresh mass for the nine Lauraceae species. The word document (i.e., the metadata.docx file) is the metadata used to show the meanings of the column variables in each table.

About how the data was collected, please refer to the following paper:

Guo, X., Shi, P., Niinemets, Ü, Hölscher, D., Wang, R., Liu, M., Li, Y., Dong, L., Niklas, K.J. "Diminishing returns" for leaves of five age-groups of Phyllostachys edulis culms. American Journal of Botany 2021, 108: 1662−1672. doi: 10.1002/ajb2.1738

Li, Y., Shi, P., Niinemets, Ü, Song, Y., Yu, K., Schrader, J., Niklas, K.J. Diminishing returns among lamina fresh and dry mass, surface area, and petiole fresh mass among nine Lauraceae species. American Journal of Botany 2021, 109: 377−392. doi: 10.1002/ajb2.1812