One way to think about the trees that make up the canopy is to imagine them as natural umbrellas. They have tall, straight trunks, often over 30m, and no branches.
At the top of their trunks they have a cluster of branches that spread out like the spokes of an umbrella, and on these grow the leaves. The branches and leaves of each tree nearly touch those of its neighbours, which is why it shades the ground.
