Asparagus capensis acquires property rights over patches of beach sand from the resilience and spread of its spine-covered, rigid branches. Not all the branches live through every dry summer but the deep-yellow lichens in picture may oblige by decorating some dead stems.

Lichen is already a binary entity, comprising a fungus and an alga. The third party alliance with the flowering plant formed here has no botanical significance other than the closeness of physical support. The lichen is kept off the ground and the west coast greyness is lifted in durable partnership with the Asparagus.