Background – A new species of Barleria (Acanthaceae) from Burundi is described as a part of on-going taxonomic research on the tropical African members of this large genus of c. 250–300 species. Methods – Standard herbarium practices were applied. Key results – Barleria superata I. Darbysh., a new species within section Somalia endemic to the fire-prone woodlands of Burundi, is described and illustrated. This species falls within a group of closely allied Tanzanian species: B. diplotricha I. Darbysh. & Ndang., B. mpandensis I. Darbysh. and B. limnogeton S. Moore; it is most closely related to the foremost from which it differs in lacking a tomentellous indumentum throughout and in the leaves being proportionately narrower. This species is provisionally assessed as Vulnerable (VU D2) using IUCN criteria.