Dryopteris clintoniana, commonly known as Clinton's wood fern, is a fern of hybrid origin native to the northern hemisphere. It is a fertile hexaploid, arising as a species by doubling of its chromosome number from a hybrid between Dryopteris cristata

Dryopteris cristata

Dryopteris cristata A. Gray is a species of fern native to wetlands throughout the Holarctic Kingdom. It is known as the crested wood fern...

, a tetraploid, and Dryopteris goldiana

Dryopteris goldiana

Dryopteris goldiana or Goldie's wood fern is a fern native to the Northeastern United States and adjacent areas of Canada.It can grow larger than any other native North American Dryopteris species. Specimens are known with fronds six feet tall.It is one of the parents of the hybrids Dryopteris...

, a diploid. It is more northern in its range than either parent species.

This fern will be found in wet areas, similar to the habitat of D. cristata.