Niebla spatulata is a fruticose lichen that grows on small rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of central Baja California in the Vizcaíno Desert.

[1] The epithet, spatulata is in reference to the flattened branches of the thallus, in contrast to another similar species, Niebla flabellata.

Niebla spatulata is characterized by a fragile thallus divided into irregularly flattened tufted branches spreading from a yellowish orange pigmented holdfast, to 5 cm high and 5 cm across, and by containing the lichen substance hypoprotocetraric acid (without triterpenes but with other unknowns), and by its relatively thin cortex, 35–50(-100) μm thick, in contrast to 45–75 μm thick in Niebla josecuervoi, which also differs by the cylindrical-prismatic branches.

Niebla flabellata is a widely distributed species in the Vizcaíno Desert of Baja California, whereas N. spatulata is of localized occurrence within the range of N.

[1] The secondary metabolites as related to terricolous habit show biogeographical relationships, therefore, are also considered to have taxonomic significance in the genus Niebla.