Zingiber leucochilum L.Bai, Skornik. & N.H.Xia (Zingibereae, Zingiberaceae), a new species from southeastern Sichuan, China, is described and illustrated with a colour plate. Notes on ecology, distribution and a preliminary IUCN conservation assessment are also provided. The new species is assigned to Z. sect. Cryptanthium Horan. and compared to five morphologically similar species from China which share the characteristic well-elongated and running rhizome, namely, Z. emeiense Z.Y.Zhu, Z. leptorrhizum D.Fang, Z. pauciflorum L.Bai, Skornik., D.Z.Li & N.H.Xia, Z. smilesianum Craib and Z. yunnanense S.Q.Tong & X.Z.Liu. A key to the above six species is provided and their distributions are mapped.