In Western Australia, it has been collected from Beverley Springs Station, Bigge Island, and the Mitchell Plateau area all in the vicinity of the Kimberley region.

D. subtilis is anchored to the soil by a system of thin, fleshy roots and it lacks a tuber.

It produces small carnivorous leaves along erect, reddish stems that can be 20 cm (8 in) high.

Each flower has four white stamens that are 1.3–1.5 mm long with yellow pollen.

[2] Drosera subtilis was first described by N. G. Marchant in 1982 in the Flora of Australia series.