Diploschistes xinjiangensis from Xinjiang in northwest China is described as new to science. The species is characterized by the thick bluish gray thallus, asci with eight large ellipsoid ascospores, and the presence of diploschistesic and lecanoric acids. It grows on rock in the semiarid region at elevations of ca. 1700 m. ITS rDNA sequence analyses support the taxonomic distinctness of this species. Key words — Asia, biodiversity, Graphidaceae, Ostropales, taxonomy.