The worst thing that can happen, and sometimes does, is a split of the main trunk.
These trees had seemed mere roots when the main trunk was in place.
After an hour of struggle they reached the main trunk.
"I have them inside main trunk, issuing through new mouth parts!"
Where, in this forest, could anyone identify a main trunk?
As a result the plant will have one clearly defined main trunk.
They climbed down to a point where the second branches left the main trunk.
The main trunk had lowered into the ground a long time ago.
Each group branches off the main trunk at a later date.
And there the main trunk stopped; above, each branch divided in the same way.