Gushing springs (rheocrenes,), spring basins (limnocrenes) and seepages (helocrenes) and the communities closely associated with them and dependant on the peculiar microclimatic and hydrological situation created by the spring. These comprise the specialized spring communities (Montio-Cardaminetea) as well as the fen communities (Caricetalia davallianae, 54.2, Caricetalia fuscae, 54.4) or other communities (Caricion bicoloris-atrofuscae, 54.3, Festuco-Brometea, 34.3) ), that are interwoven with them.
Acid or neutral, oligotrophic to eutrophic non-calcareous springs. The specialized spring communities belong to the various associations of the Cardamino-Montion or, in Iberian mountains, the Myosotidion stoloniferae; some of them are individualized below. The associated swamp communities belong to the Caricetalia fuscae and their presence can be indicated by use, simultaneously with one of the codes of 54.11, of a code of 54.4.