Spartina pectinata · Poaceae — grasses
Long arching leaves and a tall, narrow flower head give this wet-prairie grass a striking silhouette.
Family: Poaceae — grasses
Habitat: Wet prairies, wet meadows and shores
Height: A tall grass; often rises above neighboring wet-meadow plants
Season: Summer into fall
Look for several narrow flowering branches ascending along the main stalk. Tightly arranged spikelets give each branch a comb-like appearance. The long leaves arch outward from the stem.
The ascending comb-like branches and long arching leaves support the field label. The photograph is a whole-plant view; close-ups would better illustrate the individual spikelets.
Prairie Cordgrass belongs to the wetter side of prairie landscapes. Look for it in wet meadows and along shores rather than assuming every prairie grass grows on dry ground.
You may also encounter the name Sporobolus michauxianus. It refers to the same prairie cordgrass under a different taxonomic treatment.
References: Species identification reference. Field photographs are compared with these references; they are not herbarium determinations.