Drosera platypoda is a fan-leaved tuberous sundew that grows in the south coast of Western Australia. It grows a single erect stem up to 20 cm tall, out of which emerges upturned leaves in a alternating pattern. This gives the plant an overall spiraling profile. An inflorescence of white blooms forms at the end of this stem. The species is associated with saturated sandy soils, often nearby swamps or in depressions in heath. The plants emerge towards the end of winter.

The species is a member of the Drosera stolonifera complex, which all have fan shaped laminae. It shares its erect stem morphology with Drosera porrecta, fimbriata and ramellosa. Drosera platypoda can be distinguished from D. porrecta and fimbriata by its alternating leaves. It is distinguished from D. ramellosa by its inflorescence that forms at the terminus of the erect stem (as opposed to emerging directly from the basal rosette in D. ramellosa).