Several studies have indicated that turbulence within and immediately above forest and other canopies involves a high degree of organization. The elevated shear zone near treetop height and the quasi-permanent inflection in the wind profile is thought to be responsible for observed strong correlation between streamwise and vertical velocity components and strongly skewed velocity distributions. The flow is dominated by coherent structures with interrelationships between velocity components, scalar concentration, and static pressure that are not found elsewhere. Large-eddy simulation provides an opportunity to examine such features at a level of detail impossible in the field or wind tunnel. Here, we present the analysis and interpretation of flow patterns embedded in the three-dimensional output of large-eddy simulations of flow within and above a forest canopy, and centered on sloping microfrontal boundaries evident in scalar concentrations. Such patterns are readily seen in horizontal slices through the domain, especially near the top of the canopy. The microfronts are roughly oriented normal to the flow and are seen to progress downstream through the domain but to distort quite quickly. An x-z cross-section of scalar concentration selected to pass through a typical microfront shows a sharp sloping boundary that extends from near the forest floor to almost the top of the domain. The high-concentration sector is associated with a zone of updraft, while the low-concentration sector is aligned with a downdraft but the distribution of vertical velocity exhibits either no streamwise tilt or shows much less tilt that that of the scalar. High- and low-concentration sectors are also closely aligned with regions of, respectively, below- and above-normal streamwise velocity. Thus, the microfront represents a boundary between a downstream ejection of high-concentration, low velocity fluid, and an upstream sweep of low-concentration, high velocity fluid. A broad zone of positive static pressure perturbation is aligned such that peak pressure is centered on the intersection of the microfront and the canopy top. Subtle effects of this pressure pulse, confirmed by correlation analyses of both LES output and field data, appear in the streamwise flow field in the relatively open trunk space. The flow at low levels accelerates with the advance of the pressure pulse, and peak streamwise velocity is directly aligned with peak pressure. Maximum longitudinal velocity is not found as an extension of the sweep observed at higher levels. Rather, minimum streamwise velocity near the ground appears at the tail of the inclined sweep zone, presumably as a consequence of the existing adverse pressure gradient.