Ostentatious Diana Wasabi

Latin ostentātiōnis, display — adjectival suffix -ous, derived from ostendere (to show). As a color modifier, ostentatious implies a saturated-and-attention-demanding-and-elaborate quality, the bright color of Belle-Époque-and-Gilded-Age showy-luxury-display interior-decoration. Sits at the bright-and-flamboyant end of the grid, parallel to flamboyant and showy in usage.

Latin Diana, Roman-goddess-of-moon-and-hunt. As a color modifier, diana implies a Roman-goddess-and-moon-and-hunter-and-virgin quality, the visual register of Roman-Diana-and-Ephesian-Artemis hand-Roman-goddess-and-moon-and-hunter-and-virgin Roman-Diana-and-Ephesian-Artemis-and-Lake-Nemi diana-and-Roman-goddess-and-moon-and-hunter surfaces under Roman-Diana-and-Ephesian-Artemis-and-Lake-Nemi Aventine-Hill-and-Nemi-grove moonlit-grove-light. Sits at the modifier-and-myth end of the grid, parallel to luna and hera in usage.

Eutrema japonicum, the river-grown rhizome from the cold streams of Honshu, ground fresh into the green paste that accompanies sushi in traditional Japanese restaurants. Most wasabi served outside Japan is dyed horseradish — the real plant is rare and expensive. The color refers to fresh-grated wasabi: a soft, slightly muted yellow-green with the matte finish of a wet plant cell wall, brighter than sage, drier than matcha.