This vegetation type is dominated by Fagus sylvatica and Acer pseudoplatanus, which often have twisted trunks caused by heavy snow cover or avalanches. The shrub layer is usually well developed with Betula carpatica, Salix silesiaca and Sorbus aucuparia. The herb layer is dominated by montane to subalpine tall forbs such as Adenostyles alliariae, Athyrium distentifolium, Cicerbita alpina and Veratrum album subsp. lobelianum, and it also includes other moisture- and nutrient-demanding species. In the Czech Republic this association occurs mainly in deep valleys and glacial cirques at altitudes of 900–1200 m, which are characterized by abundant moisture, good nutrient supply and thick snow cover.