Photinia sorbifolia W.B. Liao & W. Guo sp. nova (Rosaceae) from Hunan Province, China, is described and illustrated. Its relationships with two morphologically close species P. schneideriana and P. villosa are discussed. The persistent, densely tomentose leaves with eight to fourteen pairs of secondary veins of P. sorbifolia distinguish it from P. schneideriana, which has sparsely tomentose leaves, and from P. villosa, with initially villous, then glabrous leaves; in the latter two species, the leaves have ten to fifteen and five to seven pairs of secondary veins, respectively. Both P. sorbifolia and P. schneideriana have compound inflorescences, while P. villosa has a simple corymb inflorescence.