Searsia incisa var. effusa old branches

These Searsia incisa var. effusa branches have aged into a sparsely leaved condition on a mature tree. The arrival of lichen on the roughly fissured bark adds some colour and gravitas, especially the bearded kind also seen here.

As if a tree could be bothered about added paraphernalia like bird nests, tree houses or lichen! Parasites would be different, because they share the tree’s nutrients, becoming a drain on the new growth of the tree itself when the going gets tough (Le Roux, et al, 2005; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Wikipedia).