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Species of the genus <i>Thelephora</i> (Thelephorales, Thelephoraceae) are ectomycorrhizal symbionts of coniferous and broad-leaved plants, and some of them are well-known edible mushrooms, making it an exceptionally important group ecologically and economically. However, the diversity of the species from China has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses, along with morphological observations of this genus. Four new species from China are proposed, viz., <i>T. dactyliophora</i>, <i>T. lacunosa</i>, <i>T. petaloides</i>, and <i>T. pinnatifida</i>. In addition, <i>T. sikkimensis</i> originally described from India is reported for the first time from China. <i>Thelephora dactyliophora</i>, <i>T. pinnatifida</i>, and <i>T. sikkimensis</i> are distributed in subtropical forests and mainly associated with plants of the families Fagaceae and Pinaceae. <i>Thelephora lacunosa</i> and <i>T. petaloides</i> are distributed in tropical to subtropical forests. <i>Thelephora lacunosa</i> is mainly associated with plants of the families Fagaceae and Pinaceae, while <i>T. petaloides</i> is mainly associated with plants of the family Fagaceae. Line drawings of microstructures, color pictures of fresh basidiomes, and detailed descriptions of these five species are provided.