Diverse, often extensive, calcareous fen communities of Central Europe, with Carex davalliana, Carex hostiana, Carex lepidocarpa, Carex capillaris, Carex panicea, Carex nigra, Carex demissa, Carex flava, Carex pulicaris, Eriophorum latifolium, Blysmus compressus, Schoenus ferrugineus, Eleocharis quinqueflora, Juncus articulatus, Juncus subnodulosus, Scirpus cespitosus, Molinia caerulea, Tofieldia calyculata, Allium schoenoprasum, Potentilla erecta, Swertia perennis, Primula farinosa, Parnassia palustris, Pinguicula vulgaris and a moss layer often dominated by brown mosses. They have their greatest species diversity in Alpine and peri-Alpine regions, and are represented by impoverished outlyers north to the middle European Hercynian system. Small sedges are usually abundant and dominance may be mixed or achieved by species of genus Carex, in particular, Carex davalliana, by Eriophorum latifolium or by Scirpus cespitosus. Vegetation of alliances Caricion davallianae and Sphagno warnstorfiani-Tomenthypnion.
Generally impoverished Scirpus cespitosus-dominated facies of Davall sedge fens. Common companions are Carex davalliana, Parnassia palustris, Potentilla erecta and the mosses Campylium stellatum, Drepanocladus intermedius.