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.

Diploschistes wui is described as a new species, based on three collections from Xinjiang in Northwestern China. It is characterized by a bluish gray and thin thallus, epruinose discs, small, 8-spored asci, and small ascospores. The new lichen resembles D. rampoddensis but is readily distinguished by the absence of surface crystals and pruinose discs. It grows on rocks at elevations above 1800 m. Our ITS rDNA sequence analyses support this species as independent. Key words—biodiversity, central Asia, Graphidaceae, Ostropales, taxonomy