Background and aimsExtensive studies have demonstrated that succulent and non-succulent plants markedly differ in their leaf anatomical traits. However, how leaf anatomical traits of succulent plants effect their key economic traits and whether leaf trait correlations of succulent plants are similar to those of non-succulent plants remain largely unclear.MethodsHere, we measured a series of leaf traits of 12 succulent plants and 27 non-succulent plants in desert grassland ecosystems of the Hexi Corridor, northwest of China, and compared these leaf traits between the succulent and non-succulent plants.ResultsLeaf traits markedly differed between succulent and non-succulent plants. Specifically, succulent plants had lower leaf dry matter contents (LDMC), higher spongy mesophyll fraction and lower palisade mesophyll fraction than non-succulent plants. By contrast, no significant differences in leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf nitrogen content (LNC) and leaf phosphorous content (LPC) between succulent and non-succulent plants were detected. Moreover, LDMC of succulent plants was positively correlated with palisade tissue fraction and negatively correlated with spongy mesophyll fraction.Vein fraction showed positive correlations with LDMC in both succulent and non-succulent plants.ConclusionsThese results indicate that succulent plants invest more C (carbon) to construct spongy mesophyll to minimize their dependence on soil water supply. By contrast, non-succulent plants adapt to water deficit by investing more C to construct palisade tissues. Therefore, our findings provide important insights into the adaption of succulent and non-succulent plants to arid environments.