The following article was written for the Orchid Species Bulletin published by the Orchid Species Society, which is based in Brisbane, Queensland in October 1999 ( modified June 2003).
Bear in mind that any cultivation notes refer to the sub-tropical conditions of Southern Queensland, Australia.

Hadrolaelia jongheana (Rchb.f.)  was first described by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach as Laelia jongheana in Flora in 1872.  Some plants were collected in Brazil prior to 1856 for Mr. J. de Jonghe of Brussels, and the species was named in his honour.

Recent DNA analysis has shown that the Mexican and Brazilian species of Laelia are quite different. Since the type species for Laelia is L. speciosa (La Llave & Lex.) Schltr. from Central America, the Brazilian species of Laelia need to be transferred to another genus.  Guy Chiron and Vitorino P. Castro Neto transferred L. jongheana, and some of the other Brazilian species that were formerly in Laelia, to Hadrolaelia (Schltr.) Chiron & V.P.Castro  in Richardiana in January 2002.

Hdl. jongheana is endemic to Minas Gerais State, Brazil. It grows between 1,300-1,600 m altitude close to the summit of the few mountain ranges in central Minas Gerais.

An epiphytic plant Hdl. jongheana has clustered, ovoid to ellipsoid pseudobulbs that are 3-5.5 cm long and 1.5 cm diameter. The pseudobulbs become wrinkled with age and are covered by a white sheath. At the apex is a single erect leaf that is shallowly v-shaped in cross-section. The leathery, oblong-elliptic leaf is 7.5-12 cm long and 3-4 cm wide with an obtuse or emarginate tip.

Inflorescences that are 4-10 cm long are produced from the apex of the newly developing growth in spring. Hdl. jongheana bears one, or rarely two, flat flowers that are 10-12.5 cm across on each inflorescence. A few cultivars seem to consistently carry two flowers on each stem. The flowers have  pale lilac to rose-purple sepals and petals. Its lip is white with a rich orange-yellow disc and the margins and side lobes are pink. Rarely are the flowers pure white with an orange-yellow disc. The disc has 7 parallel, wavy ridges that extend onto the base of the frilled mid-lobe.

Hdl.  jongheana needs plenty of water during the growing season, with a drier winter rest. Shading of 50-70% with good air circulation will suit it well. Plants can be mounted on tree fern or cork bark, or potted using a well-drained medium. Most growers have found bark-based media to be suitable. Limited success has also been achieved using tightly packed sphagnum moss. It is important not to keep the moss too wet during the rest period.