Salacia malipoensis X.D. Ma & J.Y. Shen (Celastraceae), a new species from Malipo, Yunnan, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to S. oblongifolia, S. glaucifolia, S. polysperma and S. menglaensis, but easily distinguished by 4–8 mm long petioles (8–17 mm long in S. oblongifolia, ca. 10 mm long in S. glaucifolia and S. polysperma, 8–10 mm long in S. menglaensis), crenulate or serrulate leaf margin (entire in S. glaucifolia and S. menglaensis, subentire to crenulate in S. oblongifolia, sinuate, weakly serrulate in S. polysperma), 1–3 mm long peduncle (ca. 5 mm long in S. oblongifolia, ca. 10 mm long in S. glaucifolia and S. polysperma, 5–20 mm long in S. menglaensis), reflexed petals (explanate in the other species), ovules 2 per locule (same in S. glaucifolia and S. menglaensis, ovules 4–6 per locule in S. oblongifolia, unknown in S. polysperma), and 1–2 seeds (1–2 seeds in S. menglaensis, usually 12 in S. polysperma, unknown in S. glaucifolia and S. polysperma). An identification key of all 12 Chinese species are provided.