An exhibition featuring the only conifer named after Taiwan, Taiwania cryptomerioides, opened yesterday to mark the 100th anniversary of the tree's identification.
Scientists say the conifer species has existed for millions of years. It was first classified by Japanese botanist Nariaki Konishi in 1904.
In 1908 another Japanese professor, Hayata Bunzo, gave the tree its Latin nomenclature.
Taiwanese botanists requested in 2002 that the species, which represents a unique genus, be listed under UNESCO's Convention Concerning the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage, but the application failed because Taiwan is not a UN member.
The largest forest of Taiwania cryptomerioides is located in the Twin Ghost Lake area of Taitung County, where more than 10,000 of these rare trees are spread over an area of some 1,300 hectares. The government designated the area a natural reserve in 2002.
As the tree grows at an altitude of between 1,800m and 2,500m in remote mountains, it was largely left alone by loggers during the Japanese occupation.
Numbers of the tree later declined, however, as a result of logging between the 1950s and 1970s, a trend exacerbated by poor regeneration.
In the 1970s, it became illegal to chop down the trees, which were often used for furniture because of their fine grain and pleasant smell.
With numbers of Taiwania cryptomerioides still recovering, the tree is listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources as a threatened species.
Starbucks Taiwan’s decision to charge for drink customization, which had been free, has sparked consumer backlash, highlighting the challenge of raising prices without making customers feel they are losing value, experts said. Since Oct. 12, customers who order drinks with less or no ice and ask to have the volume topped up with milk or other liquid have been charged an additional NT$15. Topping off drinks without ice was previously free, and disgruntled customers posted photos on social media showing that iced drinks ordered without ice were only half full if the extra NT$15 was not paid. The posts drew tens of thousands
A sea warning for Typhoon Champi might be issued tonight, while the storm’s trajectory would determine whether a land warning is to be issued tomorrow night, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, Champi was about 1,536km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), packing maximum sustained winds of 198kph, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said. The storm was moving west-northwest at 23kph and was expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours before weakening slightly as it approaches cooler waters east of Taiwan, Tseng said. Champi is expected to turn north tomorrow, with the angle of the
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Stable weather in northern Taiwan is expected to give way to rain this evening, while other parts of the country are to remain cloudy to sunny, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Northern and northeastern Taiwan could see intermittent rain this afternoon as seasonal northeasterly winds strengthen, with heavy rain possible in the greater Taipei area and Yilan County into the evening, CWA forecaster Chu Mei-lin (朱美霖) said. Despite the approaching rain, daytime highs across Taiwan are to remain above 30°C, reaching 34°C in central and southern Taiwan, the CWA said. Starting tomorrow, seasonal northeasterly winds and the outer currents of Typhoon
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