Species distribution modeling (SDM) is currently the primary tool for predicting suitable habitats for species. In this study, we used Abies kawakamii, a species endemic to Taiwan. Being the only Abies species distributed in high mountains, it acts as an ecological indicator on the subtropical island. We analyzed a vegetation map derived from remote sensing and ground surveys using SDM. The actual distribution of A. kawakamii in Taiwan has a total area of 16,857 ha distributed at an altitude of 2700–3600 m, and it often forms a monodominant forest at 3100–3600 m with the higher altitude edge as a forest line. Exploring the potential distribution of A. kawakamii through MaxEnt showed that the suitable habitat was 73,151 ha under the current climate. Under the scenarios of temperature increases of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 °C, suitable habitat for A. kawakamii will gradually decrease to 70.2%, 47.1%, 30.2%, and 10.0% of this area, respectively, indicating that A. kawakamii will greatly decline under these climate warming scenarios. Fire burning disturbance may be the most significant damage to A. kawakamii at present. Although A. kawakamii has been protected by conservation areas and its natural regeneration is in good condition, it rarely has the opportunity to migrate upwards during climate warming. We suggest that in the future, research on the natural regeneration and artificial restoration of A. kawakamii should be emphasized, especially in the forest line ecotone.

Pseudosasa usawae is an endemic species in Taiwan, and grows at an altitude of 600–1200 m. In this study, we fully characterized the complete chloroplast genome of P. usawae. The complete chloroplast sequence was 139,660 bp, including large single-copy (LSC), small single-copy (SSC), and a pair of invert repeats (IR) region of 83,271, 12,803, and 21,793 bp. Besides, the plastid genome comprised a total of 129 genes, including protein-coding, tRNA, and rRNA genes as 83, 38, and 8 genes. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that P. usawae is closely associated with Phyllostachys genus clade, sister to the lineage of Phyllostachys.

A revision of Nertera (Rubiaceae) in Taiwan was carried out by classical taxonomic methods and the presence of two endemic species was confirmed. Only one species, misapplied as N. granadensis, had been reported in the second edition of “Flora of Taiwan”, but there were two additional endemic species in this genus: N. nigricarpa and N. taiwaniana confirmed. Nertera nigricarpa is characterised by the entire leaf, purple-black petals, black fruits and dark-purple seeds with raised striate. Nertera taiwaniana has leaves with undulated margins, yellowish-green petals, red fruits and yellow-white seeds without striate. N. granadensis is excluded from the flora of this Island.

Phyllostachys lithophila Hayata 1916 is a unique bamboo species endemic to Taiwan, typically found at elevations ranging from 500 to 1,500 meters. This study provides a detailed analysis of the complete chloroplast genome of P. lithophila for the first time. The genome spans 139,664 base pairs (bp) and consists of a large single-copy (LSC) region of 83,192 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 12,869 bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions, each 21,798 bp in length. The plastid genome encodes a total of 129 genes, including 83 protein-coding genes, 38 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes. Phylogenetic analysis confirms that P. lithophila shares a closer phylogenetic relationship with species of Phyllostachys within the Arundinarieae tribe, while being phylogenetically distinct from the morphologically similar P. makinoi.

Only one species in the genus Nertera, N. granadensis, had been identified in Taiwan. This study discovered that there are two additional species in the genus endemic to Taiwan: N. nigricarpa and N. taiwanian. These species are both distinguishable from N. granadensis through an examination of their holotype and living individuals. N. nigricarpa is characterized by the unapparent or slightly convex leaf venation on the upper surface, spreading leaf margins, purple petals, black fruits, and dark-purple seeds with raised striate. N. taiwanian has leaves with distinctly convex veins on the upper surface, undulated margins, yellowish-green petals, red fruits, and yellow-white seeds without striate.