Dryopteris clintoniana is a large fern, with blades 45-100 cm long and 12-20 cm wide. Blades are pinnate-pinnatifid. The basal pinnae are much smaller than those above and are elongate-triangular in shape. Fertile leaves die in winter, but sterile leaves do not.

D. clintoniana ranges from New Brunswick and New Jersey west to Michigan and Indiana. It is very rare in Wisconsin, known from only two locations in the southeastern portion of the state and it has been identified as a "special concern" species. Habitat is wet woods.