The dense upper layer of a rainforest formed by tree crowns is called the canopy. It consists mainly of the overlapping crowns, branches, leaves, vines, and epiphytes of mature trees, creating a high forest habitat above the understory.
Rainforest canopies commonly sit about 30 to 45 meters above the ground, although their height varies by forest type. The canopy intercepts much of the incoming sunlight and rainfall, leaving the understory and forest floor comparatively dark. This helps explain why lower layers often contain fewer densely growing plants.
The canopy is not a perfectly solid roof: neighboring treetops may overlap visually while remaining separated by small gaps. It supports immense biodiversity, including insects, birds, monkeys, reptiles, amphibians, orchids, bromeliads, and other epiphytes. A common confusion is calling the highest trees the canopy; those trees are usually part of the emergent layer, which rises above the general canopy.