These tall-fern stands are dominated by Athyrium distentifolium and contain several species of subalpine vegetation and those frequently found in the forest herb layer. The overall species richness is rather low. They occur in the subalpine belt of the Krkonoše, Hrubý Jeseník, Králický Sněžník and Šumava Mountains, where they are mainly found on slopes of glacial cirques, and in canopy openings in fern-rich subalpine spruce forests. Sites are wet and well-protected by snow in winter.