understorey

British  

/ ˈʌndəˌstɔːrɪ /

noun

1. a lower tier of shrubs and small trees under the main canopy of forest trees

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Example Sentences

The special habitat's twisted branches, dappled light and moss-covered understorey once covered much of the country, but is now only found in isolated areas including the Woodland Trust's Coed Felenrhyd near Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd.

From BBC

But ironically this has also meant less available food for the elephants within nature reserves, with a thicker forest canopy blocking off more sunlight, resulting in fewer edible plants growing in the understorey, said Prof Campos-Arceiz.

From BBC

Sah, S. P. & Lange, H. Fine root production and turnover of tree and understorey vegetation in Scots pine, silver birch and Norway spruce stands in SW Sweden.

From Nature

Andersen, K. M. & Turner, B. L. Preferences or plasticity in nitrogen acquisition by understorey palms in a tropical montane forest.

From Nature

Echoes of Understorey by Thoraiya Dyer The next installment of Thoraiya Dyer’s Titan’s Forest series follows Imeris, a woman who has trained to become a fighter and aims to compete against her divine sister.

From The Verge