Glistening Spica Goldenrod

Old English glisnian, to glisten — present-participle of glisten, sharing root with German glitzern. As a color modifier, glistening implies a saturated-and-wet-or-polished-reflective quality, the bright color of fresh-rain-and-polished-silver surface-reflection. Sits at the bright-and-reflective end of the grid, parallel to shimmering and gleaming in usage.

Latin spīca, ear-of-grain. As a color modifier, spica implies a Virgin-and-grain-ear-and-blue-white-star quality, the visual register of Virgo-constellation-and-spring-Spica hand-Virgin-and-grain-ear-and-blue-white-star Virgo-constellation-and-spring-and-Bortle-1-sky spica-and-Virgin-and-grain-ear-and-blue-white-star surfaces under Virgo-constellation-and-spring-and-Bortle-1-sky April-and-May-spring-southern-vista grain-bearing-stellar-light. Sits at the modifier-and-cosmic end of the grid, parallel to vega and altair 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.