OBJECTIVE To establish the HPLC fingerprints of Rodgersia pinnata Hemsl and Rodgersia sambucifolia Hemsl for providing a new means of their quality control. METHODS HPLC method was used to establish mutual pattern of HPLC fingerprints of Rodgersia pinnata Hemsl and Rodgersia sambucifolia Hemsl from Yunnan and Guizhou respectively, and the two patterns were compared. RESULTS The similarity of 10 batches of Rodgersia pinnata Hemsl and Rodgersia sambucifolia Hemsl were greater than 0.95 compared with each mutual pattern of HPLC fingerprint respectively. However, the similarity of the mutual pattern of HPLC fingerprint between Rodgersia pinnata Hemsl and Rodgersia sambucifolia Hemsl was less than 0.85. Three specific peaks were observed in HPLC fingerprint of Rodgersia pinnata Hemsl. CONCLUSION The mutual pattern of HPLC fingerprints established herein can be used for species identification and comprehensive evaluation of the instinct quality.