The species is distinguished by its procumbent growth habit, pinnately branched stems measuring 10–15 mm (0.4–0.6 in) in length, and distinctive cellular features including uniformly thin-walled leaf cells.

Radula jonesii was formally described in 1988 in the Journal of Bryology by Adrianus Cornelis Bouman, Gerardus Martinus Dirkse, and Kohsaku Yamada.

The specific epithet jonesii honors Eustace Wilkinson Jones, who made significant contributions to the study of African liverworts.

The holotype specimen (RIN 003367) was collected from the Anaga Mountains of Tenerife at an elevation of 750 m (2,460 ft) and is preserved at the Utrecht University Herbarium (U), with an isotype stored at the Hattori Botanical Laboratory (NICH) in Japan.

On Madeira Island, host tree species include Laurus novocanariensis, Ocotea foetens and Clethra arborea.

[1] The primary threats to R. jonesii stem from climate change, which has led to increasing instances of extreme temperatures and drought conditions, particularly affecting the Tenerife population.

The species' habitat in Tenerife falls within the Rural Park of Anaga and is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

These recommendations include regular monitoring programs, particularly for the vulnerable Tenerife population, and the preservation of specimens in botanical gardens or other facilities outside their natural habitat.

Enhanced habitat management and protection strategies, along with careful regulation of tourism activities in sensitive areas, are also considered crucial.