Arboreal networks are a generalization of rooted trees, defined by keeping the tree-like structure, but dropping the requirement for a single root. Just as the class of cographs is precisely the class of undirected graphs that can be explained by a labelled rooted tree (T,t), we show that the class of distance-hereditary graphs is precisely the class of undirected graphs that can be explained by a labelled arboreal network (N,t).