Lurid Friar Goldenrod

Latin lūridus, pale-yellow / sickly — sharing root with lūror (yellowish-pallor). As a color modifier, lurid implies a saturated-and-shocking-and-sickly-bright quality, the bright color of Penny-Dreadful-and-Pulp-Fiction sensational-cover-art bright-and-pulpy printing. Sits at the bright-and-shocking end of the grid, parallel to garish and gaudy in usage.

Old French frere, brother. As a color modifier, friar implies a Franciscan-and-Dominican-mendicant quality, the visual register of Franciscan-and-Dominican-Friar hand-spun robe-and-rope-belt-and-sandal Franciscan-and-Dominican-mendicant-and-preaching surfaces under Franciscan-and-Dominican mendicant-Friar hand-spun-robe-and-sandal preaching-tour light. Sits at the modifier-and-cultural end of the grid, parallel to monk and nun in usage.

Solidago, the late-summer wildflower of North American meadows whose tall sprays of small yellow flowers signal the end of the growing season. The color refers to the flower head at full bloom: a warm, slightly muted yellow-orange with the matte finish of small clustered florets. Cooler than mustard, deeper than dandelion. The state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska, a pollinator magnet, and the original native dye for early American homespun.