It is known only from Brazil, being found in eastern Paraná and São Paulo and central Santa Catarina at elevations from 550–1,100 m (1,800–3,610 ft).

It typically grows in waterlogged habitats among grasses in white-clayey, reddish lateritic, or humus-rich black-brown soils and is sometimes found submerged with only the leaves above water.

[1] Drosera viridis produces carnivorous leaves that are spatulate, about 5 to 28 mm long, and entirely green, even when exposed to full sun, unlike the related D. communis whose leaves turn red in full sunlight.

Each plant produces one to three erect or ascending inflorescences, which are 7.5–30 cm (3–12 in) long, including the scape.

Rivadavia chose the specific epithet viridis to refer to the green color of the plants even when exposed to full sun.