This association includes species-poor stands dominated by large ferns such as Athyrium filix-femina. Dryopteris dilatata, D. filix-mas, rarely also Lastrea limbosperma, which are accompanied by small ferns such as Gymnocarpium dryopteris and Phegopteris connectilis. It occurs in shaded to partially shaded habitats with moderately wet soils and high air humidity such as canopy gaps, shaded edges of clearings, forest roadsides or high banks of forest brooks. In the Czech Republic it occurs mainly in the submontane to montane belt, chiefly in the Bohemian sandstone areas, but also elsewhere.