Background:　Glucomannans　(GMs)　are　a　group　of　hydrophilic　polysaccharides,　which　have　been　produced　from　different　parts　of　natural　plants.　Studies　on　plant-derived　GMs　contribute　to　wide　applications　of　GMs　or　GMs-added　products　that　have　desirable　quality　and　health　characteristics.　Among　those　popular　GMs,　konjac　glucomannan　(KGM)　and　acemannan　are　the　most　famous　ones　that　have　been　widely　reviewed　from　various　points　in　recent　years.　However,　there　is　a　lack　of　a　comprehensive　review　to　introduce　the　sources,　extraction　and　purification　methods,　structural　features,　and　other　aspects　of　GMs　from　common　natural　plants　such　as　Aloe,　Dendrobium,　Bletilla,　and　so　on.　Scope　and　approach:　This　review　firstly　presents　the　extraction　and　purification　technologies　of　GMs　from　different　plant　sources,　aiming　at　optimizing　more　effective　production　methods　with　specific　treatments　for　special　plant　origins.　After　that,　structural　features,　biological　properties,　as　well　as　structure-function　relationship　are　summarized.　Key　findings　and　conclusions:　GMs　have　been　widely　isolated　from　different　sectors　(leaf,　stem,　and　roots)　of　many　plant　resources.　A　general　extraction　and　purification　procedure　together　with　several　suggestions　is　put　forward　to　prepare　GMs.　Although　the　β-(1　→　4)-linked　main　chain　has　been　confirmed,　detailed　structural　characteristics　of　GMs　such　as　side　chain　and　functional　group　related　properties　need　further　studies.　Molecular　weights,　monosaccharide　composition,　and　acetyl　group　of　GMs　are　key　factors　that　have　been　identified　to　affect　plentiful　biological　properties　such　as　immunomodulatory,　anti-tumor,　anti-diabetic　activities.　However,　the　inherent　action　mechanisms　remain　unclear.　Several　research　interests　in　the　future　are　recommended.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd