Diversification of Crassula: Phylogenetic analysis and life-form traits

These datasets are associated with the published paper - "Evidence linking life form to a major shift in diversification rate in Crassula" (DOI:10.1002/ajb2.1797) Crassula L. (Crassulaceae) is a characteristic element of the southern African flora, occurring in a wide range of habitats, and it exhibits a remarkable diversity of life forms. However, whether any particular life-form trait has shaped species diversification in Crassula has remained unexplored. Our study aimed to investigate diversification patterns within Crassula and identify potential links to its life-form evolution. A phylogenetic tree of 140 Crassula taxa was reconstructed using plastid and nuclear loci, and dated based on the nuclear DNA information only. We reconstructed ancestral life-form characters to estimate the evolutionary trends of ecophysiological change, and subsequently estimated net diversification rates. The datasets presented here summarise the life-form classification (incl. life-history strategies and growth forms) of all Crassula species and the data from our phylogenetic analysis.