In the southern part of South America there are only 2 butterwort species known. While P. antarctica occurs from Tierra del Fuego up to 42 degrees southern latitude, the growing area of P. chilensis ranges from the Valdivian Coastal Cordillera in the west and the National Park Nahuel Huapi in the Andean border region of Chili and Argentina in the east up to the Laguna del Maule in the north (36 degrees southern latitude). Due to the dryer climate there were no more locations of P. chilensis found further north. The species grows predominantly in peaty habitats, often together with mosses (e.g. Sphagnum magellanicum) at altitudes ranging from 1000 to 2200 m above sea level. The plants can be found in wet meadows in the subandian mountain regions (in Spanish called "mallin"), at the borders of lakes and lagunas (formed by melting snow from the numerous volcanos or from glaciers) or at few humid, peaty places in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera.

A particularity of the South-American butterwort species is that they don't form a winter bud (latin: hibernaculum) compared to the North-Amercian or Eurasian temperate Pinguicula species. Therefore P. chilensis survives the winter with its "summer rosette". While in habitats in the Chilean Coastal Cordillera frost and snow only occur from July to August, populations of P. chilensis at higher locations in the subandian mountains often are exposed to several months of snow and severe night frosts. It is not known which minimal temperatures the plants are capable to survive.

The rosette consists of 6 to 8 obovate leaves, which are mostly pointed at the end. The leaf margin is upturned, at the base the leaf narrows to just the petiole. The leaves of adult plants can achieve a size of 2,5 cm in length and 1 cm in width. It seems that there is no difference in size between the rosettes formed in winter and in summer. On the upper side of the leaves most often the main and the lateral leaf veins are visible. P. chilensis flowers in the Coastal Cordillera already in December, while in the higher sub-Andean locations flowering begins not before January. Flowering time ends often not before March. Normally the plants form 1 to 2 flowers. The flower stalk can be up to 5 cm tall and is glabrous, which is a typical feature for the species. The flower itself can reach a size between 0,8 and 1,3 cm (including the spur). The corolla is two-lipped and of a white and violet colour with violet veination. While the the obovate lobes of the upper lip can reach a size of approximately 3 mm in length, the lobes of the lower lip are slightly longer and can reach a size of up to 3,75 mm in length. Typical for the flower is the palate on the middle lobe ot the lower lip. The spur is 2 to 3 mm long and of a conical form.

Additional photos of the Nahuelbuta National Park: