It is a group of South Western mountain ranges in the province of Ourense (Laboreiro, Queguas, Quinxo, Santa Eufemia, Cruz de Piñeiro, Xurés, Pisco and Pena), , basically of granitic nature, that form a Geographic and ecologic unity with the Portuguese mountains (Peneda, Soajo, Amarela and Gerês) and line the River Limia valley. In addition to River Limia and River Salas, which are partially damned, there are small streams in the natural space. It belongs to the Eurosiberian region, Atlantic-European province, and Cantabrian-Atlantic subprovince, and constitutes an exclusive biogeographic sector, the xuresiano.

It is a very original area as it is situated just between the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean regions (in this case, the Mediterranean West Iberian province), whose influence can be seen on the tops and in the Eastern par of the natural space. It has Western Oceanic (in the Limia valley) and mountain Oceanic climates with average annual precipitations from 1.000 mm to 2.500 mm (according to elevation) and average temperature from 8 to 15 ºC. There is usually snow on the tops with especially low temperature in the Eastern part. The elevation fluctuates between 260 and 1.542 m above sea level and most part of the area is over 1.000 m above sea level. 

It is an especially rough orography, mainly at Xurés, Santa Eufemia and Quinxo Mountains, with extensive boulders and hard slopes. Laboreiro, Queguas, Pisco and Pena mountain ranges show a softer morphology, important glaciers modelling samples. There are also plenty of bushes on the top (scrublands, brooms, gorses…), mainly between 500 and 1.000 m above sea level but only a few trees. There are oak, birch and yew woods on the top of the roughest ranges and common oak, cork tree, holly, arbutus, chestnut tree and laurel formations on the lowest hillsides. Small ilex groups, some cluster pine reforestations and chestnut tree woods complete the grove. Deeper soils with crops and pastures can be found at Riocaldo valley and Requiás-Guntumil area. The natural space affects two dams: Lindoso and Salas. As a whole, it is a sparsely populated area with very few places and towns and extensive uninhabited areas.

HABITATAT

Habitats of community importance (included in the Annex I of the directive 92/43/CEE):

• Oligotrophic waters with a low mineral content from the sandy plains (Littorelletalia uniflorae).
• Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition vegetation.
• Atlantic wet scrublands of Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix.
• European dry scrublands.
• Endemic Mediterranean scrublands with gorses.
• Siliceous peat bogs with pioneering vegetation of Sedo-Scleranthion or Sedo albi-Veroniciondillenii.
• Galician-Portuguese oak woods with Quercus robur and Quercus pyrenaica and Castanea sativa woods.