One other thing Sean, that's also mistletoe haven in that region, maybe has something to play with it.
Maybe something to do with bats or birds, but seldom will you see growth underneath limbs.
Just today I saw a large tereticornis where a limb maybe 10" dia was growing bent down and under, it broke off and looked a little similar to the elephants feet below some of those limbs.
Interesting, keep hunting, the answer is there somewhere.