In the ice ages, which ended over 10,000 years ago, East Asia was largely spared the glaciation which enveloped Europe and North America. Japan, Taiwan and central and southern China became refuges for Asian flora and fauna, and also home to many glacial relict plant species.
在至少一萬年前的冰河期，相較於歐、美遭冰河洗劫，東亞幸運的沒有冰河嚴重干擾，日本、台灣、與華中、華南成為亞洲大陸生物的避難所，也成為冰河孑遺植物的大本營。