Based on field investigations, we reported the new distributions of Salvia sonchifolia in Guizhou and Guangxi Province. On the basis of 16 distribution records and 11 environmental factor parameters, the MaxEnt model was applied to predict the suitable distribution areas of S. sonchifolia. The accuracy of the model was verified by Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (ROC). The results showed that: (1) the mean value of the area under ROC curve was 0.999, and the accuracy of the model was high, suggesting its feasibility of predicting potential suitable areas of S. sonchifolia. The suitable distribution areas of S. sonchifolia were mainly located in Southwestern China and parts of countries adjacent to Southern China. The core suitable areas were concentrated in the limestone mountainous areas of Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Eastern Sichuan, and the ChinaVietnam border in southeastern Yunnan. (2) Jackknife test indicated that the main environmental factors determining the potential distribution areas of S. sonchifolia were precipitation of warmest season, mean temperature of driest season, precipitation of wettest month and lowest temperature of coldest month. Statistical analysis of the environmental factors related to the potential distribution demonstrated that the most appropriate habitat conditions for S. sonchifolia were precipitation of warmest quarter from 650 mm to 1 500 mm, lowest temperature of coldest month from 0 ℃ to 10 ℃, mean diurnal range of temperature from 6.5 ℃ to 8.5 ℃ and precipitation of coldest quarter from 0 mm to 250 mm. This study will be helpful for resource survey and related study of S. sonchifolia.