| Country | Russian Federation |
| Province | northern outliers of the Greater Caucasus from the watershed between Laba and Urup in the west as far as to the Argun in the east; Azerbaijan |
| References | Charadze 1948; Isaeva-Petrova, Denisova & Nikitina 1983; Lavrenko 1980; Prilipko 1970a; Prilipko 1970b; Šiffers 1953 |
| Sum of all taxa | 51.00 |
| Sum of zonal taxa | 50.60 |
| Sum of zonal woody angiosperms | 5.80 |
| Sum of % SCL + LEG | 46.55 |
| Sum of % D-HERB + M-HERB (ZONAL HERB) | 88.54 |
North Caucasian meadow steppes (Carex humilis, Stipa tirsa, Stipa pennata, Stipa pulcherrima, Bromus variegatus, Onobrychis petraea, Seseli transcaucasicum, Gypsophila acutifolia) with Androsace koso-poljanskii, Astragalus demetrii, Dianthus fragrans, Centaurea dealbata alternating with tomillares (Thymus daghestanicus, Scutellaria polyodon, Salvia canescens) and scrub (Rhamnus pallasii, Rosa pimpinellifolia)
Herbeto-Stipeta pennatae; Herbeto-Stipeta tirsae; Herbeto-Stipeta pulcherrimae; Herbeto-Cariceta humilis (Lavrenko 1940); Thymeta (daghestanicus); Rhamneta pallasii.
Vegetation complex of herb-rich feather grass steppes and meadow steppes, petrophyte communities as well as mesoxerophytic scrub in the uplands at the northern and eastern slopes of the Greater Caucasus. The most important components of these meadow steppes are Carex humilis and steppe tufted grasses (Stipa tirsa, Stipa pulcherrima, Stipa pennata, Koeleria macrantha, Festuca valesiaca, Bromus riparius). Meadow steppe species (Brachypodium pinnatum, Elymus hispidus, Phleum phleoides, Bromus inermis, Alopecurus vaginatus (a Balkan-Crimean-Caucasian mountain meadow species), at the upper distribution limit Bromus variegatus (a Caucasian-Anatolian-northwest-Iranian mountain meadow species) are also typical. Widespread steppe and meadow steppe as well as mountain steppe species are included amongst the numerous herbs (140 and more species). Amongst the petrophytes Astragalus demetrii, Dianthus fragrans, Gypsophila acutifolia, Onobrychis petraea, Androsace koso-poljanskii (Caucasian endemics) and Onosma caucasica are characteristic; geophytes include Gagea, Allium species and Muscari caucasicum, as well as Iris species. The height of the herb layer is 40-80 cm, and its degree of coverage is 70-80 %.
Stipa tirsa, Stipa pulcherrima, Stipa pennata, Carex humilis, Festuca valesiaca, Bromus variegatus, Elytrigia gracillima, Alopecurus vaginatus, Seseli transcaucasicum, Dianthus fragrans, Centaurea dealbata, Salvia canescens
Depending on exposure, inclination and soil thickness. Amongst the xerophilic variants the dwarf sub-shrubs Artemisia chamaemelifolia and Artemisia marschalliana play an important role.
At the upper distribution limit subalpine species can be encountered in the meadow steppe communities (Scabiosa caucasica, Stachys macrantha, Inula orientalis, Veronica gentianoides, Onobrychis biebersteinii).
Petrophytic variants of the meadow steppes with Elytrigia gracillima (endemic of central and eastern Caucasia), Bromus biebersteinii (Caucasian endemic) and tomillares with north-Caucasian endemics (Thymus daghestanicus, Scutellaria polyodon, Scutellaria leptostegia, Salvia canescens).
krummholz and open woodlands (C43), Oriental beech forests (F164), mixed hornbeam-oak forests (F167, F168, F170, F172), forest steppes (L7), steppes (M1, M11, M13), thorn-cushion vegetation (N5), deserts (O7).
Charadze 1948; Isaeva-Petrova, Denisova & Nikitina 1983; Lavrenko 1980; Prilipko 1970a; Prilipko 1970b; Šiffers 1953
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents of M. Ivanišvili