Actaea muliensis (Ranunculaceae), a new species from Muli County, Sichuan Province, China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is somewhat similar to A. mairei , but is most readily distinguishable from that species and others within A . sect. Cimicifuga by, among other characters, the dark purple (vs yellow) staminodes. Actaea muliensis is revealed to be a diploid (2n = 16) species with 3‐colpate pollen.