Naming
The genus, "Atkinsonia", was named for Louisa Atkinson, a plant collector, who found many new plants in the Blue Mountains, including the specimen of "A. ligustrina" that Cunningham based his description on. The specific epithet, "ligustrina", derives from "Ligustrum", a genus in the family Oleaceae, and the Latin, "-ina", a suffix indicating resemblance. Thus the epithet means resembling Ligustrum.
Distribution
Louisa's mistletoe is confined to a small area in the Blue Mountains inland from Sydney, approximately between Linden, Mount Wilson and Mount Victoria, and around Marrangaroo.Habitat
The species occurs in woodland and heathland growing in exposed sites, and on rocky ridges.A specimen can often be simultaneously parasitic on the roots of many nearby plants. Taproots have been found connecting with the root system of Acacia intertexta, a Caustis species, Dillwynia ericifolia, Eucalyptus piperita, Leptospermum attenuatum, Monotoca scoparia and Platysace linearifolia."A. ligustrinas small, open, perfumed flowers are insect-pollinated, and the drupe-like fruit has a thin sticky layer on the seed. Seedlings can grow substantially without making contact with a host.
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