Weakly alkaline, neutral or slightly acid fen communities of the montane to subalpine belt of the Alps and the greater Hercynian ranges, in particular, the Black Forest, the Vosges and the Bohemian Quadrangle, and of neighbouring hills, dominated by Carex nigra, accompanied by calciphile species, brown mosses and basiphile sphagna. They are transitional between the rich fen communities of unit D4.1 and the acidic fen communities of unit D2.2, in particular, of unit D2.221, closely related to the dioecious-yellow-flea sedge communities of units D4.153 and D4.156, of which some of them constitute facies. Similar Carex nigra-dominated or -rich stands occur in more Atlantic regions, in particular, of the British Isles; they are probably best treated as part of the regionally more prevalent unit D4.15.