Tuber ovoid. Stem erect, usually simple, unbranched, 6–20(–50) cm long, glabrous. Leaves in basal rosette and cauline; basal leaves appressed to the soil, often reduced, not peltate, petiole 1–12 mm long, lamina orbicular or reniform with 2–7 mm diam., often reddish; cauline leaves 4–20 mm long, peltate, distally often in groups of 2–6, petiole 3–19 mm long, spreading or recurved, glabrous, lamina suborbicular, lunate, 1–5 mm diam.; stipules absent. Inflorescence terminal or subterminal, a scorpioid cyme, (2–)4–6(–8)-flowered; bracts narrowly ovate or ovate, c. 1mm long; pedicels 1–10 mm long; sepals 5, ovate, 1.5–6 mm long, densely pubescent, margin fimbriate with glandular hairs, apex usually acute; petals 5, obovate, 2.5–5 mm long, white; styles 3, each 0.25–1 mm long, the upper half of each divided digitately several times. Seeds narrowly turbinate, slightly arcuate, 0.4–0.8 mm long, shallowly reticulate. Flowers Apr.–Feb.
LoM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Also SA, NSW, Tas. Grows in permanently wet, peaty areas. Apparently largely confined to subalpine or alpine bogs and seeps, but recorded from some lowland sites in peaty heathland (e.g. Grampians, French Is., Providence Ponds).
Previously treated as a variable species with two varieties. Variety auriculata is now treated as a separate species (Drosera auriculata) while Victorian plants previously included in variety peltata are now placed in D. peltata and D. hookeri. Drosera peltata is distinguished by its densely hairy sepals, reddish basal rosettes, cauline leaves that are less than 6 mm wide, and fusiform, shallowly reticulate seeds. Wider-leaved plants with green basal rosettes and deeply pitted cylindric to ovoid seeds that occur on slightly drier sites are now treated as D. hookeri (Gibson et al. 2012).
