Steppe (Maltese: Steppa) is considered as the first stage in the ecological succession process. Steppe is at times derived from maquis and garrigue as a result of some form of degradation, such as due to fire and grazing.

The widespread steppe is characterised by herbaceous plants especially grasses; umbellifers, such as the fennel (Scientific: Foeniculum vulgare; Maltese: Bużbież); legumes, such as the Common Vetch (Scientific: Vicia sativa; Maltese: Ġilbiena sewda); and tuberous or bulbous species.

This habitat type is devoid of trees and mainly comprises annuals, that is, plants that live up to one year. During the dry season, this habitat type appears dry and impoverished because most plant species will, at the time, exist in the form of seeds. On the contrary, the wet season results in steppe being covered entirely by many different herbaceous plants.

Steppe in a degraded state is more characterised by the common awn-grass (Scientific: Stipa capensis; Maltese: Nixxief ta' l-isteppa) and thistles, such as the clustered carline thistle (Scientific: Carlina involucrata; Maltese: Sajtun); geophytes, such as the seaside squill (Scientific: Urginea maritima; Maltese: Għansar), are also encountered. Other types of steppe are encountered locally, including some natural ones formed through climatic factors. These include the rocky steppe and the clay slope steppe. Other forms of steppic communities may develop on abandoned agricultural land.

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