The class Erico-Pinetea comprises species-rich forests of Pinus nigra and P. sylvestris on dry, nutrient-poor soils on base-rich rocks in the Alps, the Carpathians, the mountain ranges of the Balkan Peninsula and some other mountainous regions of southern and south-eastern Europe. They are characterized by a significant proportion of central and southern European species, whereas many species typical of boreo-continental taiga are absent. Relict occurrences of various light-demanding species are frequent in the herb layer of these forests.