Cord grass (Spartina pectinata) Common in wet and sometimes mesic prairie, cord grass creates beautiful tall stands of lush leaves. video photo by Cynthia Gehrie The blades are smooth if rubbed upward. But if rubbed downward, tiny razor-like “teeth” can cause lacerations of the skin. video photo by Cynthia Gehrie Graceful cord grass blossoms enrich the prairie in mid-summer. photo by Tim Burke Silhouetted against the prairie sky, they rustle and wave with the direction of the wind, recalling the fabled sea of grass encountered by early settlers of the plains. photo by Tim Burke