Dryopteris cristata

{{Short description|Species of fern}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Dryopteris cristata.jpeg

| status = G5

| status_system = TNC

| status_ref = {{cite web |title=Dryopteris cristata|url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.161205/Dryopteris_cristata|website=NatureSeve Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer|author=NatureServe|publisher=NatureServe|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=2 June 2023|access-date=6 June 2023}}

| genus = Dryopteris

| species = cristata

| authority = (L.) A.Gray

|synonyms={{Collapsible list|bullets=on|? lancastriensis Spreng.|Acrostichum callipteris (Ehrh.) Ehrh.|Aspidium cristatum (L.) Sw.|Aspidium cristatum var. crenatum Christ|Aspidium lancastriense Spreng.|Asplenium lancastriensis Spreng.|Dryopteris affinis var. cristata (T.Moore) Fraser-Jenk.|Dryopteris cristata var. cristata (Linnaeus) A.Gray|Dryopteris cristata var. lancastriensis (Spreng.) Tidestr.|Dryopteris cristata var. mariana Tidestr.|Filix cristata (L.) Farw.|Filix-mas cristata (L.) Farw.|Lastrea callipteris (Ehrh.) Newman|Lastrea cristata (L.) C.Presl|Lastrea lancastriensis (Spreng.) J.Sm.|Lophodium callipteris (Ehrh.) Newman|Nephrodium cristatum (L.) Michx.|Nephrodium cristatum f. lancastriense (Spreng.) Gilbert|Nephrodium lancastriense (Spreng.) Desv.|Polypodium callipteris Ehrh.|Polypodium cristatum L.|Polystichum callipteris (Ehrh.) Bernh.|Polystichum cristatum (L.) Roth|Tectaria cristata (L.) Lag., Garcia & Clem.|Thelypteris cristata (L.) Nieuwl.}}

|synonyms_ref={{GBIF|taxon=Dryopteris cristata (L.) A.Gray|id=5275110|access-date=6 June 2023}}

}}

Dryopteris cristata is a perennial species of fern native to wetlands throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is known as crested wood fern,U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2009 crested buckler-fern{{BSBI 2007|accessdate=2014-10-17}} or crested shieldfern. This plant is a tetraploid species of hybrid origin, one parent being Dryopteris ludoviciana and the other being the unknown, apparently extinct species, dubbed Dryopteris semicristata, which is also one of the presumed parents of Dryopteris carthusiana. D. cristata in turn is one of the parents of Dryopteris clintoniana, another fern of hybrid origin.

The crested wood fern is a wetland plant, needing year-round moisture. The fronds often grow quite tall, up to a meter or more in height, but are extremely narrow under most conditions.

This plant is toxic.{{cite book |last1=Piirainen |first1=Mikko |title=Kotimaan luonnonkasvit |last2=Piirainen |first2=Pirkko |last3=Vainio |first3=Hannele |date=1999 |publisher=WSOY |isbn=951-0-23001-4 |location=Porvoo, Finland |page=31 |language=fi |trans-title=Native wild plants}}