Cladonia darwinii

Cladonia darwinii is a species of fruticose lichen in the family Cladoniaceae. Found in Australia and New Zealand, it was formally described as a new species in 2003 by the lichenologist Samuel Hammer. He collected the type specimen from the vicinity of the Mavora Lakes in Southland, at an elevation of 620 m. The species epithet is named after Charles Darwin to honour his foundational work on evolutionary theory and the significance of variation in evolution, a concept that remains challenging in the study of Cladonia lichens.

The of Cladonia darwinii is, either persistent or , , , and lobed. The podetia are hairy, cylindrical,, and can be granular or squamulose. They contain fumarprotocetraric acid.