Semi-natural grassland on deeper and not so drought-prone, nutrient-poor, base-rich soils over limestone throughout the lowlands and submontane belts of submediterranean to hemiboreal Europe. Generally closed and dominated by mixtures of graminoids and forbs, often extremely species-rich, with many rare plants and sometimes striking contingents of orchids and varying much across the large range with different sets of continental or submediterranean companions. Dependent on extensive grazing, usually with sheep, or on an annual mowing, and often developed over centuries of traditional pastoralism, contributing to some striking cultural landscapes.