Cenozoic plant macrofossils and remains in Taiwan: A review of the literature and fossil record
Journal
Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology
Journal Volume
350
Start Page
105579
ISSN
0034-6667
Date Issued
2026-07
Author(s)
Abstract
Plant macrofossils and remains in Taiwan have been documented since the early 20th century, yet formal morphological descriptions were scarce prior to 1968. Compared to the abundant palynological data, research on plant macrofossils and remains in Taiwan is still in a relatively underdeveloped stage. Despite extensive collecting efforts, related publications are scattered and often contain incomplete data, erroneous records, and missing specimens, hindering paleobotanical progress and literature accessibility. This study presents a comprehensive literature review of vascular plant macrofossils and remains in Taiwan, and re-evaluates previously published records to address: (1) problematic historical citations, (2) macrofossil/remain species integration, and (3) comparisons of macro- and microfossil data across geological epochs in Taiwan. Common issues in the past publications include lost type specimens, erroneous records or citations, and informal or insufficient descriptions. We offer corrections to several key publications and compiled a comprehensive checklist of 118 records, covering 40 families, 68 genera, and 9 undetermined taxa. Dominant taxa such as Fagaceae, Lauraceae, and Cupressaceae characterize Miocene macro records, though Lauraceae pollen is absent due to taphonomic bias. This underscores the need to integrate macro- and microfossil data for reconstructing paleovegetation in Taiwan. As the first curated synthesis of Taiwan's plant macrofossil data, this work provides a crucial foundation for future paleobotanical and paleoenvironmental research in Taiwan and the broader East Asia regions.
Subjects
East Asia
Miocene
Paleovegetation
Plant macrofossil
Plant remain
Taiwan
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Type
review article