Rich meso-Mediterranean Quercus ilex forests, penetrating locally, mostly in ravines, into the thermo-Mediterranean zone. They are often degraded to arborescent matorral (unit F5.11), and some of the types listed below no longer exist in the fully developed forest state relevant to category G2; they have nevertheless been included, both to provide appropriate codes for use in F5.11, and because restoration may be possible.
Quercus ilex forests with exuberant undergrowth of Mediterranean, often lauriphyllous, small trees, shrubs, and lianas, including Laurus nobilis, Rhamnus alaternus, Arbutus unedo, Phillyrea media, Rosa sempervirens, Rubia peregrina, Smilax aspera, Hedera helix, often well-preserved on steep slopes of the calcareous mountains rising above the southern coast of the Bay of Biscay.